(Ha'aretz) Amos Harel - For the first time since the Syrian civil war began in 2011, Islamic State has gained a presence near the border with Israel on the Golan Heights. Rebel groups in Syria today control about 90% of the border region. According to Arab media reports, three small jihadist groups that were fighting against the Assad regime in the southern Golan swore fealty this week to ISIS and its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. They include Shuhada al-Yarmouk, the Abu Mohammed al-Tilawi Brigades and Bayt al-Maqdis. Shuhada al-Yarmouk comprises a few hundred armed men, while the other two contain several dozen each.
2014-12-19 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive