Qaeda seizes Syrian border town with Turkey: activists

[Bosonic]

Last edited Wed Sep 18, 2013, 05:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: AFP

An Al-Qaeda front group fighting in Syria on Wednesday overran the northern town of Azaz near the border with Turkey after fierce clashes with rebels, activists told AFP.

"The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) has seized complete control of Azaz. They are in control of the town's entrances," said Abu Ahmad, an activist inside the town.

Another activist, a resident of the border town, confirmed the report.

"ISIS are in full control. They are detaining people from their homes, and they are manning all the checkpoints," he told AFP via the Internet, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/qaeda-seizes-syrian-border-town-turkey-activists-193028015.html;_ylt=A2KLOzLLADpSPycAUDjQtDMD

[KamaAina]

1. Hey, here's an idea! Let's arm them!

[ForgoTheConsequence]

2. YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!

This is good news! This is what we wanted, right?

[azurnoir]

3. Are these the 'good guys'? I mean they're not Assad right?

sadly in this fight there are NO good guys only bad

[Lawlbringer]

4. Well GARSH, I'm guessin' we're gonna have to go git in there

Ah-hyuck.

[David__77]

5. More jihadist-on-jihadist violence.

It's a good thing that the US stepped back from the brink. Obama exercised excellent judgment in overruling those in his administration who would have made a serious error.

[pampango]

7. Not jihadist-on-jihadist violence. "fighting in northern Syria between ISIS and non-jihadist rebels"

The development in Azaz comes amid increasing reports of fighting in northern Syria between ISIS and non-jihadist rebels vying to bring down President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The Northern Storm brigade meanwhile issued an online statement calling on other rebel groups nearby to "move directly towards Azaz, to protect the town and free it from ISIS."

And you are right. "Obama exercised excellent judgment ..."

[Comrade Grumpy]

9. The Northern Storm Brigade...

...are the guys who kidnapped Lebanese Shiite pilgrims a year ago, then posed with McCain in the very town now under jihadi control.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2013/May-30/218852-mccain-crosses-paths-with-rebel-kidnapper.ashx#axzz2fHYRsLwd

...and they were fighting another jihadi group last year for control of a lucrative border crossing.

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2012/Nov-06/194017-syrian-rebels-bring-fight-to-damascus.ashx#axzz2fHYRsLwd

Charming folks, I'm sure. I mean, c'mon, McCain liked 'em.

[David__77]

11. Al Qaeda aren't the only jihadists.

I can't help it that some copy editor doesn't have their facts straight...

[arewenotdemo]

8. He's the POTUS. And he's been exercising terrible judgment all along.

IMNSHO.

Here's the latest manifestation:

http://antiwar.com/blog/2013/09/17/obama-waives-ban-on-arming-terrorists-so-he-can-aid-syrian-rebels/

[David__77]

12. It's not that black and white.

He's been under tremendous pressure from a group of hardened warmaniacs, and being personally insulted by the likes of Bill Clinton for his refusal to go in big for regime change in Syria. There is still a danger of war, of course.

[Xithras]

6. Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Anyone wondering about the future of the Syrian people merely needs to look at what happened to the Al Saleh sisters. Both were secular human rights activists protesting for democracy in Syria. The first was arrested by the Assad government and vanished into the system. When their hometown was overrun, the second was arrested by ISIS and vanished as well. Two sisters who just wanted a secular free society, both "vanished" by opposing sides in the civil war.

The people of Syria have already lost this fight.

[7962]

10. Sadly, the best thing for the civilized world is to let them fight.

I know its sounds bad, but Iranian proxies killing Islamists who are killing them doesnt bother me nearly as much as US getting in the middle of it.