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Syria's Rebels Prepare to Take a Province from Assad
(TIME) Rania Abouzeid - Last Wednesday, the rebels began a new push to take Wadi Deif, a Syrian military base that is one of the last major loyalist outposts in the vast northern province of Idlib. But unlike previous offensives that were disorganized, poorly coordinated actions by a few brigades, this one has been carefully planned over many weeks. The offensive is overseen by a council of religious clerics, a Shari'a court led by Jabhat al-Nusra, a militant group designated a terrorist organization by the U.S but widely respected by rebels for its disciplined fighting prowess. The court has knitted together dozens of groups from across Idlib province, extracting a sworn pledge from each brigade leader that he will work with the other groups under the direction of the court and will not compete with his counterparts for any spoils of war from the outposts if they fall. The Free Syrian Army's Idlib Revolutionary Military Council, headed by Colonel Afif Suleiman, is also involved, but not in a leading role.