Fighting erupted over the weekend in the village of Jizrat al-Boushams and the surrounding area, in the Deir Ezzor Province in eastern Syria, where US-backed rebels pushed into the area and fought with ISIS forces. ISIS ended up capturing and executing at least 19 people.
The executions weren’t entirely combatants, however, with indications that at least four of the slain, two women and two children, were just civilians caught up in the post-fighting round-up. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned only three rebels being caught in the process, though it was not totally certain who the slain were.
It’s not unusual for ISIS to carry out purges that include civilians when there is fighting in an area they control, and virtually all of Deir Ezzor is ISIS territory, and has been for some time. When they believe there are locals who support the other side, ISIS has tended toward major revenge attacks.
The US backs multiple rebel factions in the periphery of Deir Ezzor, including the Kurdish forces in the north ,and the SDF rebels, which were involved in today’s fighting, who are mostly active south of Deir Ezzor, along the Jordan border.
The entire Iraqi-Syrian space is full of dogs that are not barking. Everybody is pretending that ISIS gets its arms, money, telecom, transport fleets and fuel from Allah, and are fjying to different global trouble spots on magic carpets. Nobody seems to own Al-Qaeda, but their “White Helmets” are all the rage, even after they lend their services to terrorists by “cleaning up” an execution dite where a man was beheaded. Without any proof our media quickly accepts justification. A man was a murderer, thus, it is OK cor White Helmets to be the sanitation department. And nobody questions the sudden change of heart — the same terrorists used to execute any western-linked journalists or aid workers, but are quite happy with Oscar winning outfit. “Observatory” in UK is very kind to “rebels” of all sorts, insuring that any and all death of civilians is attributed to “brutal dictator”. Except when it is impossible to place his forces or militias anywhere near the location of the crime. Then — just do not “observe” it. Nobody is noticing Saudi supplied clergy “donsted” to ISIS groups. Their “charitable” work includes besides the distribution of food and toiletries, being the communication hub between sponsors and the militants. Why on earth is it necessary to keep “rebels/militants/terrorists/islamists” on Jordanian border? Just in case Jordan is not obedient enough? And why try so hard to prevent two willing and able countries of Syria and Iraq secure their common border crossing, and eliminate ISIS that holds it? I guess we should just stop asking questions. Saudi Arabia, neocon “strategic pivot” is poised to turn majority Sunni Arab states into feudal potentates — caliphates, emirates, sultanates, sheikhdoms, etc. Sovereign states are out — span of control flexible potentates are in. In this case ruled from the center Riyadh/Mecca. A heaven for exploitation of humans of every kind. With all vestiges of civilised institutions gone, everything from shark lenders to slave trade will be back in the open. But the strategy had hit a few snags. Iran was not marginalized and is able to help Shia moslems in Iraq and Syria fight back. Turkey has wiggled out from underneath of NATO controlled army, fought back Western armed Kurdish secesdionists, and is joining Iran and Turkey in calming Iraq and Syria artificially maintained chaos. But their prize is Egypt — simultaneously courted, and threatened by the millions of Saudi funded Salafi population in poor, rural Egypt. And in the background, Ssudi deranged kingdom is pulverizing poor Yemen, for the sins of being Shia moslems. Same barbarity but without bombs is conducted in Bahrain.
We clearly cannot be leaders. We just join neocon approved vision of Middle East. Can Trump, the visionary of sovereign states being the foundation of international order — really escape the trap? If this is allowed in the ME — we are next. Only, it will be in the form of social and race riots — already described by Soros at Davos conference. Such “unfortunate” events will fracture the cohesion of the country, dismantle institutions, break up regions and dismantle the independence of local governance in the name of security. Nothing new. Only instead of religion based potentates, we will have the victorious liberalism eithout borders.