By Eric Vandenbroeck
The Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition said on Twitter on Saturday:
"Rebels break Aleppo's siege".
The same organization reported that Russian airstrikes were launched in
response to the progress made by rebel and Free Syrian Army fighters and killed 20 civilians in Aleppo as Saraqib pounded by over 30 Airstrikes.
Syrian state television in turn said that the army had regained control
of several key points in a military complex that rebels overran earlier. And
Al-Manar, the television station affiliated with the
armed Lebanese group Hezbollah, which is fighting alongside the Syrian
government forces, said the rumors that the seige on
the eastern neighborhoods has been broken is entirely false.
Yet also Zouhir al-Shimale
a reporter inside Aleppo stated via twitter that: Finally, siege is broken!
Rebel fighters and people carry the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat Fatah
al-Sham flags as they celebrate the news of the breaking of the siege of
rebel-held areas of Aleppo.
Syria’s opposition factions broke into eastern Aleppo Saturday and took
over strategic areas for Syrian regime and militias loyal to it south and west
the city and pushed northeast into the district of Ramouseh, linking up with rebel groups
that had fought south from inside the city.
Areas controlled by the regime have become besieged and lost connection
with other provinces, except for Castelo road.
However, the siege may be broken but the opposition needs to take Hamdaniyah to secure the actual road to Aleppo.
The multi-sided civil war in Syria, which has been raging since 2011,
has drawn in regional and global powers, caused the world's worst humanitarian
emergency and attracted recruits to Islamist militancy from around the world.
Of course this also brings up
the question, who exactly are these "Jihadists" and rebels?
As a response Russian air
force targeting Aleppo today with incendiary ammunition
For example it is reported that the Aleppo battle is led by Jaish al-Fath, headed by Ahrar al-Sham and
Jabhat Fatah al Sham, the former al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front whereby others
that also appear to be involved are the Free Syrian Army and Jabhat Fatah
al-Sham.
Other Jihadists closely allied with Jaysh al Fath
that took part in the fighting are the Syrian arm of the Turkistan Islamic
Party (TIP), which is comprised mainly of Uighurs and is part of al Qaeda’s
international network, produced a video trumpeting the beginning of campaign.
It is not clear if the TIP is a named member of Jaysh al Fath,
but in practice it does not matter. The TIP’s men have been integrated into
Jaysh al Fath’s battle plans for more than one year.
Other jihadist organizations tied to the al Qaeda network, such as Ansar
al Din and Ansar al Islam, sent fighters to the battlefields in the southern
part of Aleppo city as well.
While there are many armed opposition groups in Syria and Aleppo I list
some of the most important at the end of this report.* Whereby as an example, I
will highlight one of the most controversial groups, that is Jaish al-Fatah
formerly al-Nusra front.
The United States and Russia announced on July 15 that they would
coordinate airstrikes against the Islamic State and the former Nusra Front, Al
Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria.
The Nusra Front is one of hundreds of rebel groups, including some
backed by the United States, fighting the Syrian government. It is considered
to be one of the strongest.
Targeting the group will be challenging, in part because it frequently
works in coordination with other rebels, making differentiation difficult.
In late July, the leader of the Nusra Front announced that it was changing its name
to the Levant Conquest Front. Analysts said that this was a public relations
move to distance the Nusra Front from Al Qaeda and allow members to further
embed themselves within the rebel groups. But it will probably not have
practical implications for the group’s ideology or goals in the war.
IHS Conflict Monitor analysts have been tracking the Nusra Front and the
other warring forces in Syria, revealing the extent to which the Nusra Front is
embedded in rebel territory.
Also, the US, and even some W. European countries, have been supporting
a number of rebel groups fighting Assad.Part of what
thus makes this situation complicated is that the Nusra Front has been highly
effective against the Syrian government. This aligns with the main goal of the
rebel groups: removing President Bashar al-Assad from power.
But for the last two years, America’s main goal in Syria has been to
fight the Islamic State and the Nusra Front, which the United States and Russia
consider terrorist groups.
While American-backed rebel groups have often benefited from the
firepower of the Nusra Front, it has destroyed rebel groups that refuse to work
with it.
By standing against the Nusra Front, or attempting to carve out
Nusra-free zones, the rebel groups risk being effectively eliminated. But if
these groups do not distance themselves from the Nusra Front, Russia says it
will continue to consider them legitimate targets.
But Washington seems reluctant to denounce this new group as a bogus re
branding, partly because it knows so many of the already weak rebel groups it
does support are willing, or even eager, to work with the effective and
disciplined al-Nusra forces. Many of these moderate forces (see below*) feel
abandoned by the west.
It should also be noted that a pivital factor
in the rebel advance today was cooperation between rebel groups, some of which
have received covert arms support from the United
States, and the jihadist formerly known as the Nusra Front.
Other jihadist organizations tied to the al Qaeda network, such as Ansar
al Din and Ansar al Islam, sent fighters to the battlefields in the southern
part of Aleppo city as well.
As for Aleppo today it should also be noted that in spite of the advance
of the Jihadists the route into eastern districts was open only to fighters and
was still not secure enough to evacuate civilians from the area. And only a few
pickup trucks carrying vegetables have made their way into Aleppo since the
rebels’ offensive made its breakthrough on Saturday evening.
Thus, in eastern Aleppo, despite some scenes of celebration as fighters
broke the siege, the lack of a safe route out means conditions for residents remain unchanged.
Rebel leaders say that perhaps the most pressing danger is that supply
routes from Turkey, which are essential to the C.I.A.-backed rebels, could be
severed.
But Lebanese pro-Syrian government news channel al Mayadeen said late on
Saturday the Syrian army had "withdrawn from a number of positions
southwest of Aleppo and re positioned itself in new defensive lines".
Fears are growing in government-held western Aleppo that it might become
besieged by rebels, as east Aleppo has been by government forces, because the
main route south to Damascus for goods transport, the Ramouseh road, has been severed.
Fierce fighting and continuous Russian and Syrian air strikes in and
around the Ramouseh area mean no safe passage for
besieged east Aleppo residents has been established.
It is also to be expected that Syrian regime forces redeployed to try to
avoid being surrounded in neighborhoods they control in Aleppo.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wants to take full control of Aleppo,
pre-war Syria's most populous city, which has been divided between rebel and
government-held areas.
Assad's government forces are supported in Syria by Russian air power,
Iranian militias and fighters from Lebanon's Hezbollah group Rebel gains this
weekend could change the balance of power in Aleppo, after Assad said a siege
by government and allied forces on rebel-held east Aleppo in early July was a
prelude to re-taking the city. On the other hand, the loss of Aleppo would be a
crushing blow for rebels.
Conclusion: There is a concern that rebels will not be able to really
manage to brake the siege to the degree that
residents will receive relief. Russian artillery in support of government
forces could start what I mentioned on 1 August, that like Aleppo, Putin gave Chechen people of Grozny a chance to
leave. Then destruction began.
Another key point is also that no one is laying siege to
"Aleppo," as such, although many different armed groups are laying
siege to bits and pieces of it. The city of Aleppo is divided, and so is the
wider Aleppo governorate:
As indicated above, following are details about some of the larger
opposition groups some of which are considered moderate forces:
*SUPREME MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY
Leader: Brig Gen Salim Idris
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) was formed in August 2011 by army deserters
based in Turkey, led by Col Riad al-Asaad. Its banner was soon adopted by armed
groups that began appearing across the country. Despite this, the FSA's leaders
had little or no operational control over what was happening on the ground in
Syria. The opposition's Western and Gulf Arab backers sought to encourage a centralised rebel leadership and in December 2012 a number
of brigades affiliated themselves to a newly-created Supreme Military Council
(SMC). The SMC's chief-of-staff, Gen Idris, wants it to be a more moderate and
stronger alternative to the jihadist rebel groups in Syria.
The SMC has 30 members, six representing each of five "fronts"
in Syria - Northern (Aleppo and Idlib), Eastern (Raqqa, Deir al-Zour and Hassaka), Western (Hama,
Latakia and Tartus), Central (Homs and Rastan) and Southern (Damascus, Deraa
and Suwaida). Each front has a civilian-military
council and a commander. The opposition National Coalition describes Gen Idris
as the commander of the FSA, however observers have said the FSA is simply a
loose network of brigades rather than a unified fighting force. Brigades
supposedly report through the chain of command to Gen Idris, but he is yet to
assert operational control and serves more as a spokesman and conduit for
foreign funding and arms shipments. SMC-aligned brigades retain separate
identities, agendas and commands. Some work with hardline Islamist groups that
alarm the West, such as Ahrar al-Sham, and
al-Qaeda-linked jihadists.
SMC AFFILIATES
Martyrs of Syria Brigades
Leader: Jamal Maarouf
Estimated number of fighters: 7,000
Originally called the Martyrs of Jabal al-Zawiya Brigade, the group was
formed in late 2011 in Idlib province. Although its name was changed in
mid-2012 to the Martyrs of Syria Brigades to reflect the growing ambitions of
its leader, its operations are still focused in north-western Syria. Unlike
Suqour al-Sham (see below), which also hails from Jabal al-Zawiya and wants an
Islamic state, the Martyrs of Syria Brigades reportedly ascribe to no
particular ideology.
Northern Storm Brigade
The Northern Storm Brigade is an Islamist FSA unit that controls an
important border crossing between Syria and Turkey. In September 2013, there
were deadly clashes between the Northern Storm Brigade and the Islamic State of
Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) after the jihadist group stormed the town of Azaz.
Ahrar Souriya
Brigade
The Ahrar Souriya
(Free Men of Syria) Brigade, which operates under the SMC, was set up by Col Qassem Saad al-Din, a former air force pilot from the
northern town of Rastan.
ISLAMIC FRONT
Leader of Shura Council: Ahmed al-Sheikh (Suqour al-Sham)
Deputy leader of Shura Council: Abu Omar Hureitan
(Liwa al-Tawhid)
General secretary: Sheikh Abu Rateb (Liwa
al-Haqq)
Head of military office: Zahran Alloush (Jaysh al-Islam)
Head of political office: Hassan Abboud (Ahrar al-Sham)
Head of Sharia office: Abu al-Abbas al-Shami (Ahrar al-Sham)
Estimated number of fighters: 45,000
In November 2013, seven Islamist groups - Harakat Ahrar
al-Sham al-Islamiyya, Jaysh al-Islam, Suqour al-Sham,
Liwa al-Tawhid, Liwa al-Haqq, Ansar al-Sham and the Kurdish Islamic Front -
declared that they were forming the largest rebel alliance yet in the 33-month
conflict, with an estimated 45,000 fighters. They said the new Islamic Front
was an "independent political, military and social formation" that
aimed to "topple the Assad regime completely and build an Islamic state".
They outlined a new command structure, with key roles shared between the seven
groups, and said they would work towards a "gradual merger".
The announcement led to the dissolution of the Syrian Islamic Front
(SIF), which was dominated by Ahrar al-Sham, and the
effective break-up of the SMC-aligned Syrian Islamic Liberation Front (SILF).
Analysts predicted that the move would undermine the SMC, and in December 2013
the front announced that it had withdrawn from the SMC's command. Days later,
its fighters drove out SMC-aligned forces out of their headquarters and
warehouses at the Bab al-Hawa border crossing with
Turkey, prompting the US and UK to suspend "non-lethal" assistance
for rebel groups in northern Syria.
The Islamic Front does not include al-Qaeda affiliates like the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the al-Nusra Front, but its charter
welcomes foreign fighters, as "brothers who supported us in jihad",
suggesting it is willing to co-operate with them.
Harakat Ahrar
al-Sham al-Islamiyya
Leader: Hassan Abboud
Estimated number of fighters: 10,000 to 20,000
The Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya (Islamic Movement of the Free Men of the Levant)
is a Salafist group that first emerged in the north-western province of Idlib
in late 2011 as Ahrar al-Sham and has since made a
major impact on the battlefield. In December 2012, it formed the Syrian Islamic
Front (SIF) with 10 other hardline Islamist groups, including Liwa al-Haqq. Ahrar al-Sham later merged with three of them to form
Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Islamiyya.
Its leader is Hassan Abboud, also known as Abu
Abdullah al-Hamawi, who was imprisoned by the Syrian
authorities after taking part in the insurgency in neighbouring
Iraq but released in early 2011 as part of an amnesty.
Before its dissolution in November 2013, the SIF became the most
powerful rebel force battling the government, operating all over the country.
It remained independent and refused to come under the umbrella of the SMC, but
co-operated with SMC-aligned brigades on the battlefield, as well as al-Qaeda
affiliates.
Harakat Ahrar al-Sham's fighters are renowned
for their discipline and ability. They were some of the first to use improvised
explosive devices and to target military bases to capture weapons. The group
operates a "technical division" that carries out cyber-attacks and a
"relief office" that runs social services and carries out public
works.
Jaysh al-Islam
Leader: Zahran Alloush
Estimated number of fighters: 9,000+
Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam) was formed by some 50 Islamist factions
operating in and around Damascus in September 2013. Zahran Alloush, a former
imprisoned Salafist activist whose group Liwa al-Islam (Battalion of Islam) is
the most prominent and powerful member of the alliance, said it had been formed
to "achieve unity among the units of the mujahideen and avoid the effects
produced by the divisions within the National Coalition". More than 30 of
the brigades in Jaysh al-Islam were already operating under the banner of Liwa
al-Islam. The others include Liwa Fath al-Sham, Liwa
Tawhid al-Islam and Liwa al-Ansar. Jaysh al-Islam's formation was believed to
have been an attempt by Saudi Arabia to counter the expanding presence of
al-Qaeda affiliates around the Syrian capital, with Salafist groups being
offered arms and money in return for loyalty. Zahran Alloush's father is a
religious scholar based in the Gulf Kingdom. Liwa al-Islam, which was founded
in mid-2011, is the leading rebel group in the Ghouta agricultural belt around
Damascus and is well-armed. The group rose to prominence after claiming it was
behind the bombing of the National Security Bureau's headquarters in Damascus
in July 2012, which killed several senior security officials including the defence minister and President Assad's brother-in-law.
Suqour al-Sham
Leader: Ahmed al-Sheikh
Claimed number of fighters: 9,000 to 10,000
Suqour al-Sham (Falcons of Syria) was formed in the Jabal al-Zawiya
region of the north-western province of Idlib in September 2011. It has since
grown in size and influence - drawing in several local factions, including the
Daoud Brigades - and expanded its operations into Aleppo and Damascus
provinces. Ahmed al-Sheikh, also known as Abu Issa, was the driving force
behind the establishment in September 2012 of the SILF and was named its
leader. Suqour al-Sham nevertheless said its fighters would not take
instruction from an outside leadership and in late 2013 it joined the Islamic
Front. Abu Issa, who has previously called for a moderate Islamic state that is
not imposed on society, was named head of the new alliance.
Liwa al-Tawhid
Leader: Abdul Aziz Salama
Estimated number of fighters: Between 8,000 and 10,000
Liwa al-Tawhid (Battalion of Monotheism) was formed in July 2012 to
unite the many separate fighting groups operating in the northern Aleppo
countryside. It took control of part of the city of Aleppo after leading a
rebel offensive that month. Liwa al-Tawhid is now one of the main forces
operating in the province. The relatively moderate Islamist group, which calls
for an Islamic state that is governed by civilians and protects minorities,
joined the SMC-aligned SILF in January 2013. However, it maintained good
relations with hardline groups such as Harakat Ahrar
al-Sham and the al-Nusra Front. In September 2013, it was called in to broker
an end to clashes between ISIS and an SMC-aligned brigade in the northern town
of Azaz. Later that month, Abdul Aziz Salama, then Liwa al-Tawhid's political
leader, read out a statement by 11 rebel groups, including al-Nusra, declaring
that they did not recognise the National Coalition
and calling for the opposition to unite under an "Islamic framework".
Its late military leader Abdul Qadir al-Saleh, a former businessman known as
"Hajji Marea", praised al-Nusra before he
was killed in a government air strike in November 2013. After his death, Mr Salama, also known as "Hajji Anadan",
assumed overall command of Liwa al-Tawhid and the following week the group
joined the newly formed Islamic Front. In addition to its military operations,
Liwa al-Tawhid has medical and media "foundations" and claims to have
thousands of civilian "administrators" helping run areas under rebel
control.
Liwa al-Haqq
Liwa al-Haqq (Battalion of Truth) was formed in 2012 by Liwa al-Ansar
and other Islamist brigades fighting in and around the central city of Homs.
Led by a former Syrian army paratrooper, it is one of the most prominent groups
in Homs and the surrounding province. Liwa al-Haqq is dominated by hardline
Islamists and helped form the now-dissolved SIF alliance with Ahrar al-Sham.
Kataib Ansar al-Sham
Kataib Ansar al-Sham (Supporters of
the Levant Brigades) is mainly active in the northern provinces of Latakia and
Idlib. The group was a founding member of the SIF.
Kurdish Islamic Front
The Kurdish Islamic Front is a Salafist group that came to prominence
only recently when it fought alongside Harakat Ahrar
al-Sham and ISIS against the Popular Protection Units (YPG), the Kurdish
militia force set up by the Democratic Unity Party (PYD) to provide security in
the de facto autonomous Kurdish zone in north-eastern Syria. The KIF reportedly
runs a number of Islamic schools for Kurdish children in Aleppo and elsewhere.
SYRIAN ISLAMIC LIBERATION FRONT (SILF)
The Syrian Islamic Liberation Front (SILF) is a loose alliance formed in
September 2012 by about 20 rebel groups, including the Farouq Brigades, the
Islamic Farouq Brigades, Liwa al-Tawhid, Liwa al-Fath,
Liwa al-Islam, Suqour al-Sham, and the Deir al-Zour
Revolutionaries' Council. Most of the groups, which ranged from moderate
Islamist to ultraconservative Salafist in outlook, recognised
the SMC and made up the bulk of its fighting force. In November 2013, Liwa
al-Tawhid and Suqour al-Sham declared that they were joining the new Islamic
Front, significantly reducing the SILF's military strength and raising
questions about whether it would be disbanded. It is not clear if the remaining
members of the SILF will continue to fight under its banner or join the Islamic
Front.
INDEPENDENT GROUPS
Ahfad al-Rasoul Brigades
Leaders: Abu Osama al-Julani, Mohammed al-Ali
and Maher al-Nuami
Estimated number of fighters: Between 7,000 and 9,000
The Ahfad al-Rasoul (Grandsons of the Prophet)
Brigades are an alliance of more than 40 moderate Islamist groups formed in
2012. They operate across Syria, although their presence is strongest in the
northern province of Idlib. The alliance is independent but aligned to the SMC,
and has also been linked to Qatar and Western intelligence agencies. In August
2013, its fighters were forced from the northern town of Raqqa by ISIS.
Asala wa
al-Tanmiya Front
Claimed manpower: 13,000 fighters and civilian personnel
The Asala wa al-Tanmiya (Authenticity and Growth) Front is a moderate
Islamist alliance formed in November 2012. Its fighters are organised
across five "fronts" covering most of Syria, but their presence is
strongest in Aleppo, where the Nour al-Din al-Zinki
Brigades operate, and in the tribal areas of the eastern province of Deir al-Zour, the power base of the Ahl al-Athar Brigade.
Durou al-Thawra
Commission
The Durou al-Thawra
(Revolution's Shields) Commission is an SMC-linked alliance of a few dozen
small armed factions, most of them in Idlib and Hama provinces. It was set up
in 2012 with the help of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. It describes itself as
a moderate Islamic-democratic alliance. It acknowledges receiving support from
the Brotherhood, but denies any direct link to it.
Tajammu Ansar al-Islam
Tajammu Ansar al-Islam (Gathering of
the Supporters of Islam) was formed in mid-2012 by seven Damascus-based
Islamist groups. However, it has since suffered several splits.
Yarmouk Martyrs' Brigade
The Yarmouk Martyrs' Brigade is a moderate Islamist group linked to the
SMC that was formed in the southern province of Deraa in August 2012 through
the merger of eight small units. Led by Bashar al-Zoubi,
it operates mainly near Syria's borders with Jordan and the Israeli-occupied
Golan Heights, where in March and May 2013 fighters briefly detained UN
peacekeepers patrolling the demilitarised area.
National Unity Brigades
Estimated number of fighters: 2,000
The National Unity Brigades (Kataib al-Wihda al-Wataniya) were created in August 2012. They claim
to have several units located in almost all of Syria's provinces and to operate
"for the sake of a civil, democratic state for all ethnicities and social
identities". The NUB operates mainly in the Jisr al-Shughour
region of Idlib province and south of Damascus, but also in Jabal al-Zawiya,
Deraa and Deir al-Zour. Some fighters are reported to
be from the minority Alawite and Ismaili sects.
JIHADIST GROUPS
Al-Nusra Front
Leader: Abu Mohammed al-Julani
Estimated number of fighters: 5,000 to 7,000
The Nusra (Support) Front for the People of the Levant, is a jihadist
group believed to have been created in mid-2011 with the help of the Islamic
State of Iraq (ISI), a militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda in Iraq
(AQI). It declared its existence in January 2012 and has since emerged as one
of the most effective rebel forces. Its fighters are active in 11 of Syria's 14
provinces, particularly Idlib, Aleppo and Deir al-Zour.
Initially, the group was blamed for dozens of suicide bombings in major city centres, killing many civilians. Later, its disciplined and
well-armed fighters began to take part in regular rebel operations, then major
offensives. Today, they control territory in northern Syria. The US designated
al-Nusra a terrorist entity in December 2012, saying it was an
"alias" of AQI. In April 2013, the head of the ISI, Abu Bakr
al-Baghdadi, announced the merger of his group and al-Nusra, creating the
Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS). However, al-Nusra's leader Abu
Mohammed al-Julani - another former insurgent in Iraq
released in 2011 by the Syrian government - swiftly rejected the move and
asserted his allegiance to al-Qaeda's overall leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri. Since
then, al-Nusra and ISIS have operated as separate entities, with large numbers
of foreign fighters joining the latter. Like Ahrar
al-Sham, al-Nusra has sought to build popular support by providing social
services and carrying out public works.
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis)
Leader: Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
Estimated number of fighters: 3,000 to 5,000
The creation of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in April 2013
was rejected by the al-Nusra Front. ISI's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, known
as Abu Dua, nevertheless pressed ahead with expanding
its operations into Syria. In August 2013, US intelligence assessed that he was
based in Syria and commanded as many 5,000 fighters, many of them foreign
jihadists. The group is active mostly in northern and eastern provinces of
Syria. It has assumed joint control of municipalities in Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa
provinces. Isis has taken part in a number of major rebel operations, including
by carrying out suicide bombings that helped capture two military bases. But it
has also had tense relationships with other rebel groups, including those
considered Islamist. Its fighters reportedly recently killed a prominent member
Ahrar al-Sham, and have clashed with those from Ahfad al-Rasoul in Raqqa and the Northern Storm Brigade in
Azaz. They have also targeted Shia and Alawite civilians.
Jaysh al-Muhajirin wa
al-Ansar
Jaysh al-Muhajirin wa
al-Ansar (Army of the Emigrants and Helpers) is a group comprising hundreds of
mostly foreign fighters, many of them from the North Caucasus, that was formed
in March 2013 by several jihadist units. The group, which seeks to establish an
Islamic state in Syria, operates mostly in Aleppo province, but says it is also
fighting in Hama and Latakia. It is led by a Chechen jihadist called Omar al-Shishani, who has aligned himself with ISIS.
KURDISH GROUPS
Popular Protection Units (YPG)
Political leader: Salih Muslim (PYD)
Claimed number of fighters: 10,000 to 15,000
The Popular Protection Units is the armed wing of the Kurdish political
party, the Democratic Unity Party (PYD), an affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers'
Party (PKK) that runs the de facto autonomous Kurdish zone in north-eastern
Syria. The YPG emerged as a force in the summer of 2012 when the Syrian army
withdrew from Kurdish areas and it sought to provide security. The PYD has
tried to keep the Kurds out of the conflict and consolidate its territorial
gains. However, there has been occasional fighting with government troops, and
since November 2012 also deadly clashes between the YPG and rebel fighters -
particularly those from Islamist and jihadist brigades - over control of
several border towns and parts of the city of Aleppo. The Syrian rebels and the
Turkish government have accused the Kurdish group of acting as an Assad proxy.
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