"The Nusra Front and its allies in Syria's Qalamoun region vowed Tuesday to "eradicate" ISIS after a series of provocations by the notorious Al-Qaeda splinter group sparked a round of inter-jihadi clashes.
The Twitter accounts of the Nusra Front and the Qalamoun branch of the Army of Conquest, a coalition of jihadi parties led by Nusra, announced that they had been fighting with ISIS in west Qalamoun, along the border with Lebanon.
The long statement highlighted that its fighters were against inter-jihadi conflict, especially since the area is surrounded by Hezbollah from the east and the Syrian army from the west.
The statement said that clashes between ISIS and other Syrian rebels in the past had been thwarted because of the existence of ISIS members who showed “loyalty to all Muslims.” But those member were either killed in clashes, exiled or executed by ISIS itself, the statement added." Daily Star
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The Syrian Army is attacking in this stretch of the Lebanese border around Qalamoun even as its Hizbullah ally attacks the same jihadi forces from a different direction.
In the midst of this fight the Nusra and IS jihadis have chosen to go to war with each other in the very presence of their enemies.
I would expect to see them eradicated from the Qalamoun area shortly.
In the Yemen situation, former president Salih's political party has sent a delegation to talks in Riyadh. Hmmm.... Well, pilgrims, don't expect Salih to play anything straight with anyone. He would feel that he had failed himself if he did. He would feel that he had not been all that he could be. At least that is what I thought when I hunted with him along ago. That was when he was aligned with the USSR and before he became one of GW Bush's best friends.
I see that the Nusra led coalition against Assad is calling itself the "Army of Conquest." This is a direct "lift" from references in early Muslim historians to what they called jeish al-fath . This term is to be found in such works as futuh al-buldan (The Conquest of the Nations) by Al-Balathuri pl
Col. Lang:
"sparked a round of inter-jihadi clashes."
So much like the Spanish Civil War where Communists and Anarchists were slugging it out while the Nationalists were marching on them.
There are no poets to immortalize the Jihaist Syria as yet - unlike the Republican Spain that was immortalized by Neruda, Eluard, and Lorca; it seems to me.
Posted by: Babak Makkinejad | 12 May 2015 at 06:09 PM
Interesting. Perhaps al-fataheen will destroy themselves. Good fortune for Assad. Thanks for the reference to Al-Balathuri's work.
Posted by: Will Reks | 12 May 2015 at 06:39 PM
Will Reks
You are familiar with his work? It was a major off duty project for me many years ago to translate this book. If you like this you will like Al-Tabari's work as well. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 12 May 2015 at 07:08 PM
Sir,
No, he is new to me. I'll have to find a copy.
Posted by: Will Reks | 12 May 2015 at 07:34 PM
Colonel
In this intra-jihadist contest, do we have indications as to what the current level of support for either side is from Turkey? from KSA? from Qatar?
Posted by: mbrenner | 12 May 2015 at 07:34 PM
Col Lang,
Don't tell me you've ploughed through Al-Tabari! In Arabic?!!
(I've got a whole stack of them among my books - in translation. For reference only; haven't read them!).
Posted by: FB Ali | 12 May 2015 at 07:36 PM
Babak,
And no Picasso to paint a Guernica as well. It might be too sad even for his talent.
Posted by: BabelFish | 12 May 2015 at 07:59 PM
FB Ali
Tabari was my wife's project. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 12 May 2015 at 08:33 PM
Wow!
Posted by: FB Ali | 12 May 2015 at 10:05 PM
"It was a major off duty project for me many years ago to translate this book."
Did you publish your translation? The only translation around is Hitti's, which is a bit old these days.
Posted by: Laguerre | 13 May 2015 at 04:06 AM
My wife is a native Arabic speaker and I cant get her to read the Arabic dailies with me. Be happy colonel!
Posted by: Abu Sinan | 13 May 2015 at 08:08 AM
Abu Sinan
The Arabic newspapers are harder to read than the classics that we have been discussing. The newspaper writers are so intent on displaying the sophistication of their vocabulary and style that they needlessly make the task difficult. It is only in Arab countries that have high literacy rates like Lebanon or Syria and Iraq in the old days that popular newspapers exist that are aimed at the masses. In the old medieval texts, if one is concentrating on a given writer after some time a pattern of his vocabulary in the context of his time and usage emerges and that remains consistent. This makes things easier but it is still not easy. My wife's interest in Tabari lasted until we left graduate school and then she moved on to other things. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 13 May 2015 at 08:16 AM
Laguere
I did not. I am not a scholar by nature. I am a soldier and spook. perhaps I will look for my notes from long ago. I did not do the whole book. Other things intervened. There are soldiers who do scholarly things. there used to be more. I knew a French colonel who wrote a two volume French/Arabic fusha dictionary in his spare time. He began as a cadet at St.Cyr. He was also a great jazz pianist and a fine art photographer. And then, there was my old friend and mentor Bob Sawyer who in retirement became BA/MA/Ph.D in literature, learmed to paint well and play the cello. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 13 May 2015 at 08:22 AM
fb Ali
a person of many talents. pl
Posted by: turcopolier | 13 May 2015 at 08:29 AM
P.L> and ALL: Inhis interview by Charlie Rose retired CIA Deputy Director Mike Morrell stated that in his opinion NUSRA and AQAP were a greater threat to USA than ISIS! Comments?
BTW I was not impressed with Morrell who apparently joined the CIA in 1980 and rose to DD because of his articulateness and briefing skills. But I would argue that his decision-making highly questionable. He has published a new book on his career that I have not read but might.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 13 May 2015 at 09:52 AM
William R. Cumming,
Why would Morrell think so? Would he be thinking that ISIS will alienate so many Muslims so fast with its recreational nastiness as to wear out its welcome? Whereas the various al Qaedas will remain nicer enough to Muslims to regain their acceptance and support enough to have more staying power and fighting lifetime?
Posted by: different clue | 13 May 2015 at 05:43 PM
There appear to be translations if you google a Google Books version
Posted by: readerOfTeaLeaves | 14 May 2015 at 01:51 AM