Tensions Soar as Syrian Rebels Battle Each Other for Checkpoint

Site of Major Battles, Aleppo Has New Rivalries to Contend With

A solid year of fighting between the Syrian government and rebel factions have left Aleppo, the nation’s largest city, in a stalemate. The situation in the city and surrounding area looks to be worsening, however, as now the rebels are fighting one another.

Though there were no reports of any Sunday fights, tensions are still high after a major battle yesterday between fighters of the Free Syrian Army, the US-backed faction of rebels, and al-Qaeda forces in Bustan al-Qasr, with the two contesting control of a checkpoint.

The FSA declared “war” on al-Qaeda aligned forces on Friday, accusing them of assassinating a top member of their command council earlier in the week. The groups have had small skirmishes in the past but had also fought side-by-side in some major battles with Assad government forces.

As the war drags on and hopes of a “quick” victory fade, patience seems to have worn out among many of the rebel factions, and ideological battles that were always in the background are coming to the fore, potentially making Syria’s war even more complex.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.