18 moderate rebels affiliated with the Free Syrian Army were killed in a car bomb attack in the southern Quneitra province today. The bombing targeted a base in the village of al-Isha, not far from the Israeli border.
There has yet to be any claim of responsibility, but one of the spokesmen for a rebel group in the area suggested it was likely the work of “ISIS sleeper cells.” ISIS has forces in this region, but no territory of their own so far south in Syria.
The FSA Southern Front reported that some key personnel were among the slain, including the Southern Front’s main commander, Abu Hamza al-Naimi, which suggests the attack was likely an assassination attempt as opposed to a random strike against an FSA base.
Though there was initially some talk of the attack being related to the ongoing ceasefire, most now say that is unlikely to be the case. ISIS is not a party to the ceasefire, and never suggested any intention of stopping their attacks.