According to the rebel-linked Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, hundreds of foreign rebels have been fleeing from the Idlib Province in Northwestern Syria through Turkey, claiming they are planning to “join jihadists in Mali.”
The reports come amid intense fighting in the Idlib Province, and suggest that while foreign Islamist fighters were eager to flock to Syria to fight the Alawite President Assad, they don’t have any particular ties to the nation and are willing to ditch that civil war for a more promising fight.
This could prove to be extremely bad news for the French troops invading Mali, as if these reports prove true they will end up facing Islamist troops that the French government was openly bankrolling, and who likely have far more fighting experience against modern military forces than the existing insurgency.
Whether this will significantly change the situation on the ground in Syria is unclear, as the overall size of the rebels there is not well understood, nor is it clear if the Syrian military will attempt to retake Idlib Province in the face of the pullout or just focus their attention elsewhere.
lol. where to begin, poetic justice? i hope for Syria's sake this is true….departure of mercenary thugs coupled with cessation of hostilities…. and a negotiated settlement so that the syrian people can decide their future and rebuild their lives free of outside interference. But i pity the poor people of mali whose land will be devastated by those scrambling to gain control of its precious resources…..
This could simply provide talking points for those who say the rebels should be armed (the crazies are leaving), while providing further justification for escalating in Mali (the crazies need to be wiped out).
These ‘rebels’ – I guess many are just young unemployed men -who_have been recruited into fight someone's 'worthy cause' are clearly expendable pawns. They are useful and versatile. In_one place they are brave freedom fighters AKA_canon fodder to break down an enemy who is too_independent. In another context, they are evil backward_jihadist terrorists who must be smashed…AKA cannon_fodder again. __There seems no shortage of naive and /or desperate people prepared to be cannon fodder in the service of Empire- whether in the US whose military solicit at high schools or poorer areas to suck up unemployed people with promises of a free education, job_security and access to health care etc [and a higher purpose in life perhaps] or in the ME with similar inducements and/or paradise/pie in the sky promises. The one thing they have in common is that they are all lied too. Poor people sent off, to fight other poor people, by rich people…
These ‘rebels’ – I guess many are just young unemployed men -who_have been recruited into fighting someone's 'worthy cause' are clearly expendable pawns. They are useful and versatile. In_one place they are brave freedom fighters AKA_canon fodder to break down an enemy who is too_independent. In another context, they are evil backward_jihadist terrorists who must be smashed…AKA cannon_fodder again. __There seems no shortage of naive and /or desperate people prepared to be cannon fodder in the service of Empire- whether in the US whose military solicit at high schools or poorer areas to suck up unemployed people with promises of a free education, job_security and access to health care etc [and a higher purpose in life perhaps] or in the ME with similar inducements and/or paradise/pie in the sky promises. The one thing they have in common is that they are all lied too. Poor people sent off, to fight other poor people, by rich people…
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"Not only do they do the fighting, but they also perform a lot of civil duties such as cleaning roads, manning bakeries, installing and repairing city infrastructure like electricity," said the activist from Idlib province, who asked not to be named. "Some of the Nusra Front members are now playing even the role of street cleaners because of garbage in the city that has increased the rat population."
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http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/21/world/meast/syr…
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"Not only do they do the fighting, but they also perform a lot of civil duties such as cleaning roads, manning bakeries, installing and repairing city infrastructure like electricity," said the activist from Idlib province, who asked not to be named. "Some of the Nusra Front members are now playing even the role of street cleaners because of garbage in the city that has increased the rat population."
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http://edition.cnn.com/2013/02/21/world/meast/syr…
complete bullsh*t….. not surprising coming from CNN.
Ahhhh! How sweet it is to witness the French fighting the same terrorists in Mali that were armed by the . . . French. Got to love Western hubris.
The SOHR is saying this when Saudi Arabia has been exposed in the NYT of supplying heavy weapons to rebels. This also comes as the US floats the idea of expanding what it considers non-lethal aid to the rebels. Maybe this is disinformation meant to improve the image of the rebels. That way the US and Saudi Arabia could provide more support to rebels.
May I ask why people keep referring to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights for actual "news" out of Syria? It's already been exposed as some ex-pat with an ax to grind in a walk up flat in London. All the one-sided info comes from "unnamed activists", rebel "commanders"…they make excuses for Terrorist-Rebel atrocities and hype up Syrian gov't. protecting the pop. at large as genocide.
Not only should the SOHR be ignored, but someone should visit the flat where the main propagandist lives and punch him in the face.
I am glad that some of you had a same feeling as I did yesterday reading this "news" – that it is something like psyops disinformation coming from this man (Rami Abdulrahmi) who pretends to be a voice of Syria "revolution" giving western leaders all necessary talking points they need to get desired regime change in Syria. I personally do not believe jihad had abandoned Syria, without getting what they want. Syria would be much bigger price for them than Mali. It is in close neighborhood of Israel their main target. Also as a Shiite controlled country Syria itself must be punished by Saudis supported terrorism. I SIMPLY DO NOT BELIEVE THIS 'NEWS'.