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US-trained Syrian rebels killed and leaders captured by al-Qaida affiliate US-trained Syrian rebels killed and leaders captured by al-Qaida affiliate
(35 minutes later)
Al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria has killed five members of a rebel group trained by the US and wounded 18 others, a day after kidnapping seven members of the same force, in the latest blow to American strategy in Syria.Al-Qaida’s affiliate in Syria has killed five members of a rebel group trained by the US and wounded 18 others, a day after kidnapping seven members of the same force, in the latest blow to American strategy in Syria.
The fighters, who were attacked by al-Nusra Front militants at their headquarters on Friday morning, are among the 50-60 rebels trained in Turkey to fight Islamic State. The controversial programme has so far made no difference on the ground and this latest blow will be embarrassing for the US.The fighters, who were attacked by al-Nusra Front militants at their headquarters on Friday morning, are among the 50-60 rebels trained in Turkey to fight Islamic State. The controversial programme has so far made no difference on the ground and this latest blow will be embarrassing for the US.
With the kidnappings on Thursday and the fighting on Friday, the number of US-trained fighters put out of action by Nusra’s campaign has risen to 30, around half of the combatants trained by the Americans and their allies. With the kidnappings on Thursday and the fighting on Friday, the number of US-trained fighters put out of action by Nusra’s campaign has risen to 30.
Division 30, a group that received training in Turkey, said in a statement on Friday on its Facebook page that Nusra militants attacked its command headquarters at dawn. The division fought back, but lost five of its fighters in the battle.Division 30, a group that received training in Turkey, said in a statement on Friday on its Facebook page that Nusra militants attacked its command headquarters at dawn. The division fought back, but lost five of its fighters in the battle.
“Division 30’s command calls, for the second time, on our brothers in Jabhat al-Nusra to cease these actions, preserve the blood of Muslims and protect unity,” the statement said.“Division 30’s command calls, for the second time, on our brothers in Jabhat al-Nusra to cease these actions, preserve the blood of Muslims and protect unity,” the statement said.
The attack came a day after the kidnapping of seven members of Division 30, also by the al-Nusra Front, which has risen to prominence as one of the most powerful rebel groups in Syria and which has maintained its allegiance to the al-Qaida chief, Ayman al-Zawahiri.The attack came a day after the kidnapping of seven members of Division 30, also by the al-Nusra Front, which has risen to prominence as one of the most powerful rebel groups in Syria and which has maintained its allegiance to the al-Qaida chief, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
A source in Division 30 told the Guardian yesterday that the seven men, including three of the group’s leaders, were captured on Wednesday around noon in Azaz, an opposition-held town in north-western Syria not far from the Turkish border.A source in Division 30 told the Guardian yesterday that the seven men, including three of the group’s leaders, were captured on Wednesday around noon in Azaz, an opposition-held town in north-western Syria not far from the Turkish border.
The source said the Division 30 fighters were planning a military offensive in northern Aleppo against Isis after entering Syrian territory from Turkey. Isis has a presence in the northern Aleppo countryside, where it has posed a threat to opposition groups in Syria’s former commercial capital fighting to oust forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.The source said the Division 30 fighters were planning a military offensive in northern Aleppo against Isis after entering Syrian territory from Turkey. Isis has a presence in the northern Aleppo countryside, where it has posed a threat to opposition groups in Syria’s former commercial capital fighting to oust forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
The rebels in Aleppo lost over a thousand men in an offensive last year that evicted Isis from the city even as they were battling the Assad regime.The rebels in Aleppo lost over a thousand men in an offensive last year that evicted Isis from the city even as they were battling the Assad regime.
“The convoy was subjected to an armed ambush by masked men from Jabhat al-Nusra, the other face of Daesh,” said the Division 30 source, using the Arabic acronym for Isis.“The convoy was subjected to an armed ambush by masked men from Jabhat al-Nusra, the other face of Daesh,” said the Division 30 source, using the Arabic acronym for Isis.
He said one of the kidnapped men was the overall commander of Division 30. The source said the group had appealed by peaceful means for the men’s release.He said one of the kidnapped men was the overall commander of Division 30. The source said the group had appealed by peaceful means for the men’s release.
Related: Khorasan: are Syria's mysterious 'strangers with horses' a threat to the west?Related: Khorasan: are Syria's mysterious 'strangers with horses' a threat to the west?
But such a resolution is unlikely to materialise, with Nusra escalating its targeting of US-trained rebels and the American-led coalition against Isis continuing to target Nusra. The alliance claims that an al-Qaida-linked faction, called the Khorasan group, is planning attacks against the west in Syria, a charge denied by Nusra’s leadership. The US-led coalition bombed Nusra targets on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group with wide contacts inside Syria. It was unclear if the latest air strikes were in response to Nusra’s assault on the US-trained rebels. The al-Nusra Front has a history of attacking US-backed rebel fighters. Late last year, it launched a devastating campaign against the Hazm Movement, a US-trained group, looting its stores of Tow anti-tank missiles.But such a resolution is unlikely to materialise, with Nusra escalating its targeting of US-trained rebels and the American-led coalition against Isis continuing to target Nusra. The alliance claims that an al-Qaida-linked faction, called the Khorasan group, is planning attacks against the west in Syria, a charge denied by Nusra’s leadership. The US-led coalition bombed Nusra targets on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group with wide contacts inside Syria. It was unclear if the latest air strikes were in response to Nusra’s assault on the US-trained rebels. The al-Nusra Front has a history of attacking US-backed rebel fighters. Late last year, it launched a devastating campaign against the Hazm Movement, a US-trained group, looting its stores of Tow anti-tank missiles.
The group dissolved earlier this year as a result of the campaign.The group dissolved earlier this year as a result of the campaign.
The disintegration of US-trained rebel fighters in the face of al-Qaida’s campaigns poses questions as to the viability of the effort and the overall American strategy in Syria, which has long been beset by delays and failures.The disintegration of US-trained rebel fighters in the face of al-Qaida’s campaigns poses questions as to the viability of the effort and the overall American strategy in Syria, which has long been beset by delays and failures.
The training programme, announced in 2014, was supposed to prepare 5,000 rebel fighters to take on Isis, but immediately ran into trouble because of the strict vetting requirements and the fact that many rebels also see the Assad regime as their primary enemy.The training programme, announced in 2014, was supposed to prepare 5,000 rebel fighters to take on Isis, but immediately ran into trouble because of the strict vetting requirements and the fact that many rebels also see the Assad regime as their primary enemy.
In July, the US secretary of defense, Ashton Carter, said the US was actively training only 60 rebels, nearly a year after the programme’s launch. He said, however, that 7,000 fighters were being vetted in order to take part in the training.In July, the US secretary of defense, Ashton Carter, said the US was actively training only 60 rebels, nearly a year after the programme’s launch. He said, however, that 7,000 fighters were being vetted in order to take part in the training.
Related: Al-Qaida 'cut off and ripped apart by Isis'Related: Al-Qaida 'cut off and ripped apart by Isis'
The US launched an air campaign against Isis in the late autumn, and has succeeded in killing thousands of militants, but appears to have had little effect in limiting the group’s expansion. In Syria, Isis controls vast swaths of the eastern desert, as well as the historic city of Palmyra and other areas in eastern Homs, the Yarmouk refugee camp in southern Damascus, and its de facto capital of Raqqa, in addition to having a presence in northern Aleppo. Isis splintered from the al-Nusra Front in 2013 after a public feud between the two groups’ leaders in which Zawahiri attempted to intervene.The US launched an air campaign against Isis in the late autumn, and has succeeded in killing thousands of militants, but appears to have had little effect in limiting the group’s expansion. In Syria, Isis controls vast swaths of the eastern desert, as well as the historic city of Palmyra and other areas in eastern Homs, the Yarmouk refugee camp in southern Damascus, and its de facto capital of Raqqa, in addition to having a presence in northern Aleppo. Isis splintered from the al-Nusra Front in 2013 after a public feud between the two groups’ leaders in which Zawahiri attempted to intervene.