What’s most interesting is that from the article you linked to (which really could use the services of a proofreader, but, oh well) it was the persecution and expulsion of the Christians of Mosul that was the final straw for the Ba’athists.
“The statement added that ‘ISIS crimes began to widen and worsen, the last was displacing the Christian Brothers from Mosul city in a matter of regret that we reject completely. Christians will remain an integral part of this beloved homeland.’”
Apparently for the Ba’athists, that was a bridge too far.
BS.... The event with the Christians was merely cover to come out of the closet where they have been seething at the fall of Saddam and the impending fall of Bashir Assad.
So the Ba’athists are protecting the Christians from the thugs we armed, trained and financed to topple Assad who protects the Christians in Syria? Got it.