Russen bombardieren offenbar Rebellen statt IS

TAGES ANZEIGER: Die russischen Angriffe in Syrien haben laut internationalen Medien nicht dem IS, sondern Gebieten der Free Syrian Army gegolten.

Russland hat erstmals Luftangriffe in Syrien geflogen. Das russische Verteidigungsministerium bestätigte die Luftangriffe auf Stellungen der Terrormiliz Islamischer Staat in Syrien. Kampfjets hätten Munitionsdepots und Treibstofflager des IS etwa 200 Kilometer von Damaskus entfernt bombardiert, sagte Generalmajor Igor Konaschenkow vom Verteidigungsministerium in Moskau der Agentur Interfax zufolge. Verteidigungsminister Sergej Schoigu habe enge Verbündete Russlands informiert, sagte er.

Verschiedene internationale Medien berichten hi[n]gegen, dass die russischen Angriffe in Gebieten geschahen, in denen nicht der IS sondern Rebellen der Free Syrian Army angesiedelt seien. Reuters zitiert ein Kader-Mitglied der FSA, die gegen Präsident Assad kämpft: «Im Gebiet nördlich von Hama gibt es keine Stellung des IS sondern ist vollständig unter der Kontrolle der Free Syrian Army.» Auch Gebiete um die Stadt Homs, die von russischen Bomben getroffen wurden, stehen nach Angaben von Reuters unter der Kontrolle von Rebellengruppen. Der IS operiere hingegen nicht in diesem Gebiet. » | bee/AFP/sda | Mittwoch, 30. September 2015

Free Syrian Army Rebels Defect to Islamist Group Jabhat al-Nusra
THE GUARDIAN: The well-resourced organisation, which is linked to al-Qaida, is luring many anti-Assad fighters away, say brigade commanders

Syria's main armed opposition group, the Free Syrian Army (FSA), is losing fighters and capabilities to Jabhat al-Nusra, an Islamist organisation with links to al-Qaida that is emerging as the best-equipped, financed and motivated force fighting Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Evidence of the growing strength of al-Nusra, gathered from Guardian interviews with FSA commanders across Syria, underlines the dilemma for the US, Britain and other governments as they ponder the question of arming anti-Assad rebels. » | Mona Mahmood and Ian Black | Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Syria: The Gap Salesman Turned Rebel Executioner
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Yaman Hamoud, 22, divided his time between university and working in a Gap store in Dubai, before becoming an executioner for the FSA

The journey from Gap store shop assistant to rebel executioner was short.

Six months ago, Yaman Hamoud was selling fashion, under the watchful eye of a British shop manager. By August, back home in Aleppo, the 22-year-old was part of a Free Syrian Army squad that arrested a member of the Shabiha, the hated Assad militia.

After a few hours of to-and-fro with his commander, the squad was given permission to do what they wanted with him. “We took him to the graveyard, where there was a hole in the ground,” he said, laughing. His confession was entirely unprompted. “We shot him. He fell.”

He had no remorse, but admitted he had thought about his mother. “She rings me all the time to tell me to try to avoid killing people,” he said. “She says, 'It’s haram [forbidden (by God)], please don’t if you can help it’. But we have to do this. He was Shabiha. They have killed so many people.” » | Richard Spencer, Aleppo | Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Foreign Office Investigates Reports of Britons among Islamist Kidnappers of Journalists in Syria
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Foreign Office is investigating reports that British citizens are among Islamist fighters who kidnapped a British photographer and his Dutch colleague in northern Syria.

John Cantlie and Dutchman Jeroen Oerlemans were held by the group for a week after they accidentally came across their camp while crossing the border from south east Turkey to report on the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

During their time in captivity they were threatened with death unless they converted to Islam, and both were shot and slightly wounded when they attempted to flee barefoot. They were freed on Thursday night after a group of Free Syrian Army soldiers turned up the camp and angrily demanded that they be released.

Mr Cantlie has not yet spoken of his ordeal, but Mr Oerlemans told Dutch media that some of the gang, which is reported to have been between 30 and 100 strong, had "Birmingham accents".

A source close to the incident told The Sunday Telegraph that there possibly at least six men with British-sounding voices, including one with a heavy south London accent. Read on and comment » | Colin Freeman, Antakya | Saturday, July 28, 2012

Free Syrian Army Targets World's Oldest Christian Community in Syria
The "Free Syrian Army" have decided to send suicide bombers and booby-trapped cars into Christian villages to kill and terrorize the Christians of Syria. Their tactic is similar to their al Qaeda brethren in Iraq who bombed Christian towns and churches to drive Christians out of Iraq. They think that by ethnic cleansing they can get rid of communities whose existence in Syria and the Levant predates Islam.

Syria: Assad Regime Retakes Control of Damascus Suburbs
THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: The Assad regime claimed to have retaken control of Damascus on Sunday night after its most elite fighting force ruthlessly overwhelmed rebel strongholds in the city's Sunni suburbs.

Backed by heavy artillery and helicopter gunships, the 4th Armoured Division, commanded by President Bashar al-Assad's feared younger brother Maher, swept through three rebel-held districts and laid siege to a fourth.

It was confirmed by the Israeli military last night that Mr Assad remains in the capital, following rumours in the aftermath of last week's attacks that he had fled for the coastal city of Latakia.

Sunday's counter-offensive effectively ended rebel hopes of capturing the Syrian capital and bringing a swift end to an uprising that has ground on for 16 months, which the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated yesterday has now killed over 19,000 people.

For more than a week, the rebel Free Syrian Army, the FSA, had fought a tenacious campaign to "liberate" Damascus, launching the wave of daring assaults at the heart of Mr Assad's most-heavily fortified citadel.

Hopes that a quick victory was in their reach were boosted by the most audacious strike of all – a bomb that struck a meeting of the regime's 14-man national security council, killing four of the president's chief lieutenants, including his powerful brother-in-law. » | Adrian Blomfield, Middle East Correspondent and Ruth Sherlock in Beirut | Sunday, July 22, 2012

Syrian Border Developments
Syrian opposition fighters have taken control of a number of border crossings with Iraq and Turkey.In Masnaa in Lebanon, is Zeina Khodr reports on border developments there.

Syrian opposition fighters have taken control of a number of border crossings with Iraq and Turkey. Jane Arraf reports from Irbil in northern Iraq about the Syria border situation.

Syrian opposition fighters have taken control of a number of border crossings with Iraq and Turkey. Al Jazeera's Isil Sariyuce speaks from Turkey's Reyhanli. She says the Free Syrian Army is in control of border posts there.

Syria Crisis: 'This Could Be a Turning Point'
Ian Black and Martin Chulov discuss the implications of the killing of three key figures in Bashar al-Assad's inner circle. The attack has opened a new phase in the conflict and proves the Free Syrian Army is capable of striking at the heart of the regime in Damascus
Watch the video here | Ian Black, Martin Chulov, Phil Maynard and Mustafa Khalili | Thursday, July 19, 2012