US-trained Syrian rebels refuse to fight al-Qaida group after kidnappings
Last edited Sat Aug 8, 2015, 08:30 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: The Guardian
US-trained Syrian rebels refuse to fight al-Qaida group after kidnappings
Kareem Shaheen in Beirut
Thursday 6 August 2015 15.07 BST
A group of Syrian rebels that includes fighters trained by the United States have declared their refusal to fight al-Qaidas affiliate in the country, the Nusra Front, following a series of kidnappings by the militant group.
A source in Division 30, which has endured a campaign of kidnappings by the Nusra Front, said they also oppose the American air strikes carried out in the last few days against the al-Qaida-linked fighters.
The statements complicate the American strategy in Syria, which has suffered a string of setbacks and delays, deploying just over 50 fighters dedicated to fighting the terror group Islamic State in the year since its programme to train and equip rebels began.
With all the immense military power the US has at its disposal, the start to the mission is nothing short of an embarrassment and if it has any hope of succeeding, it needs to show results fast, said Charles Lister, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Doha Center and an expert on Syrian insurgent groups.
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http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/06/syrian-rebels-nusra-front-al-qaida-kidnapping