Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS Jane's report

Telegraph ^ | 9-15-2013

[Dysart]

Nearly half the rebel fighters in Syria are now aligned to jihadist or hardline Islamist groups according to a new analysis of factions in the country's civil war.

Opposition forces battling Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria now number around 100,000 fighters, but after more than two years of fighting they are fragmented into as many as 1,000 bands. The new study by IHS Jane's, a defence consultancy, estimates there are around 10,000 jihadists - who would include foreign fighters - fighting for powerful factions linked to al-Qaeda.. Another 30,000 to 35,000 are hardline Islamists who share much of the outlook of the jihadists, but are focused purely on the Syrian war rather than a wider international struggle. There are also at least a further 30,000 moderates belonging to groups that have an Islamic character, meaning only a small minority of the rebels are linked to secular or purely nationalist groups.

[McGavin999]

Oh but this can’t be@ McCain and Graham assured us the opposition was made up of neighborhood dads.

[henkster]

Of those 100,000 fighters, if 5 of them are Al Qaeda, that’s five too many for me.

[Dysart]

And don’t forget ME expert O’bagy: She promised they were moderates! And she wouldn’t lie to us.

[cicero2k]

Only 35% of Germans were Nazis in the 1930s.

Just give them control, the rest will follow.

[sport]

I wouls say that it is more like 90%. And I also believe that Obama plans on bringing them or most of them over here when their work over there is done.

[Veto!]

Swell. Let’s send them a few more billion. Cracking open the piggybank now, taking up a collection.

Oh wait, don’t need to do that, Obama’s got it covered.

[Dysart]

We have sunk so low.

[jeffc]

A telling point is that you know the US media know this, but don't tell us, so as to protect their selected boy-king wannabe, the Zero King.

[Dallas59]

But we have to support AQ to fight terrorism!

[Travis McGee]

[tumblindice]

“neighborhood dads”

Practically Rotarians! (If Rotarians beheaded people)

[umgud]

Other than christians, there is nobody worth saving in Syria.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks .

• The end of the rebel alliance?
• Qaeda tells Syria fighters to shun secularists in sign of deeper rebel rift
• Assad's forces on attack after U.S.-Russia arms deal
• Beheaded in front of children, Assad's thugs are dragged to their doom and butchered like animals

[bicyclerepair]

Didn’t know they were Firefly fans...

[MAKOTHEDOG]

No Shia!!

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Everyone except Kerry and Barry knew this. Liars.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[Eleutheria5]

Find the 5% who are vehemently opposed to Al Qaeda and the MB and Assad, and start helping them. Also do economic sanctions. There. Something was done about the poison gas and about Syria in general, and it didn’t involve getting American troops killed.