Fighting rages between Syrian rebels and ISIL

[pampango]

Source: Aljazeera

Opposition fighters on Wednesday stormed the town of al-Dana, a stronghold of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in Idlib, as fighting continued in al-Bab and three other towns in Aleppo province, Al Jazeera’s correspondent in Aleppo said.

Since last week, a broad coalition of moderates and Islamists opposed to President Bashar al-Assad have been seeking to drive ISIL - which is accused of kidnapping, torturing and killing rival rebels and civilians - from its strongholds in the north and east of Syria.

Three powerful rebel alliances launched what activists called a second "revolution", and have advanced quickly, expelling ISIL from checkpoints and bases across Aleppo, Idlib and Hama provinces.

In Latakia, government warplanes carried out an airstrike in Latakia province, activists said. Syrian government has been accused of dropping barrel bombs onto heavily populated areas from helicopters.

Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/01/fighting-rages-between-syrian-rebels-isil-201419111930879716.html

[cosmicone]

1. when rebels kill each other, popcorn time n/t

[Comrade Grumpy]

2. Carry on.

[7962]

3. Let em do it for the next 20 yrs nt

[pampango]

4. That might be OK if so many civilians were not killed in the crossfire.

"Collateral damage" is not a pretty thing.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Syria conflict: Rebel clashes 'leaves almost 500 dead'

At least 482 people have been killed in clashes between Syrian rebels and the al-Qaeda-linked Islamist State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS), activists say.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the toll comprised 85 civilians, 240 rebels and 157 ISIS fighters.

ISIS had killed 42 prisoners in Aleppo, while 47 members of the jihadist group had been executed by rebels, it added.

The fighting has spread across four provinces in rebel-held parts of northern Syria over the past week.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25681041

[Comrade Grumpy]

6. The Syrian revolution has devolved into a bloody mess.

I just read elsewhere today that the Syrian National Council, which is supposed to represent rebels at the Geneva peace talks, is falling apart. I doubt the peace talks will happen because nobody can figure out who speaks for the rebels. Maybe in part because the rebels are too busy killing each other.

Assad is smirking in his presidential palace.