(AP-Washington Post) Syria's rebels share misgivings over the possible injection of al-Qaeda's influence into the country's civil war, but they also see a welcome boost from the experienced, disciplined fighters whose battlefield valor is legendary. Several hundred fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra, a shadowy group with an al-Qaeda-style ideology, have been a valued addition to rebel ranks in the battle for control of Aleppo, Syria's largest city. Many rebels talk of the al-Nusra fighters' prowess as snipers. "They rush to the rescue of rebel lines that come under pressure and hold them," one rebel said. "They are like the special forces of Aleppo." But he added: "The only thing is that they are too radical."
2012-10-25 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive