Underscoring just how ugly the infighting among rebel factions in northern Syria has gotten, al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) has captured and executed an estimated 70 rivals, including a large number of fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra, another al-Qaeda affiliate.
The fighting that began a week ago Friday claimed 500 dead in the first week, and a weekend of fighting and executions has brought that number to at least 700 now.
Initial fighting focused on AQI’s less secure possessions in Latakia and Idlib, but has since spanned several provinces, with hits on major AQI possessions like Raqqa, where the executions took place.
Al-Nusra’s decision to join the fighting on the side of the other rebels has led to the bizarre discussion of “good al-Qaeda” vs. “bad al-Qaeda,” since apparently two fighting forces can’t both be bad guys.