Endless Battles among Militia Groups’ Mercenaries in Syria

Opposition armed groups in Syria belong to a high record of different doctrines and ideologies. Activists and military sources reported that the number of combat factions active over the Syrian territories reached 1750, including the so-called ‘free Syrian army’, ‘State of Sham and Iraq’, and other groups working for different agendas.

Differences among those groups increase day in and day out, and matters become worse when accompanied by assassinations, kidnappings, power struggle, etc..

However, the most prominent differences lie between the ‘free army’ and the “State of Sham and Iraq”, where media sources reported that the latter has killed Abu Obeida Al-Binshi, one of ‘Free of the Sham’ movement commanders.
“The assassination took place after the ‘State of Sham and Iraq’ had taken a number of Malaysians, Syrians and Turks relief workers as hostages,” the sources reported.

“Following the abduction, a number of the ‘free army’ brigades moved in an attempt to release prisoners, which led to clashes and left Abu Obeida Al-Binshi killed,” they elaborated further.

Earlier, a media source in the ‘free army’ described the “Islamic State of Iraq and Levant” as the movement which turned into a militia implementing the Syrian regime agenda directly and openly:
“This organization kills all dissidents without exception, chasing and assassinating them in the areas of Ghota and Damascus western countryside,” it said.

Such incidents were being repeated in Syria during the recent period, signaling a growing tension between the militant groups active under the ‘free army’ and the so-called ‘Jihadi’ groups, mainly composed of non-Syrian militants.

For its part, the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory said that al-Qaeda-affiliated “Islamic State of Iraq and Levant” had beheaded another battalion commander in the province of Idlib, northwest Syria, in the wake of a battle erupted between the Syrian army and militants of other battalions in the town of Dana, in which dozens were killed.

Recently, the city of Raqqa in northern Syria has witnessed protests, sit-ins and demonstrations against the armed groups deployment as a result of arrests carried out.

Moreover, the killing of a 14-year boy at the hands of ‘State of Iraq and Levant’ mercenaries in front of his family in the city of Aleppo after being accused of blasphemy had also provoked widespread protests.