Syrian rebels seize headquarters of al-Qaeda-linked faction

Rival groups of Syrian insurgent fighters yesterday overran the Aleppo headquarters of a radical jihadi faction as the opposition National Coalition postponed until January 17th its decision to attend the US-Russian sponsored peace conference scheduled to convene on the 22nd.

As Taoiseach Enda Kenny’s trade talks took place in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates, their governments faced strong pressure to persuade their Syrian allies to participate in the peace talks. Although deeply involved in a regional proxy war in Syria where the Sunni Gulf states seek to topple the heterodox Shia Alawite government aligned to Shia Iran and Lebanon’s Shia Hizbullah movement, these countries are competing for influence and do not agree on how to proceed.

Saudi Arabia, which has adopted a tough line against the government, is in a strong political position ahead of the international conference. Riyadh has secured the coalition presidency for its candidate and can boast of the victories in northern Syria of Saudi-founded Islamic Front against al-Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (Isis).

The US and EU see it not only as a potential spoiler of a negotiated end to the Syrian conflict but also as the principal danger to the peace of the region.

Isis, which seeks to establish an “Islamic caliphate” in the Fertile Crescent, is also fighting Shia-dominated Iraqi government forces in the Sunni Anbar province and threatening bomb attacks against Shia targets in Lebanon.

'Kill them'
In Aleppo, Isis vowed to crush its antagonists. Spokesman Abu Mohamed al-Adani said it considered members of the western and Arab-backed expatriate opposition and its military wing, the Free Syrian Army, "legitimate targets. Kill them wherever you find them and without dignity", he said. "They launched this war against us."

Scores of prisoners were released by the loose alliance of mainly fundamentalist factions, led by the Islamic Front. The bodies of executed fighters, activists, and civilians were found in the children’s hospital occupied by Isis.

Two Swedish journalists, Niclas Hammarstroem and Magnus Falkehed, held since November, were also freed.

The Britain-based opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said 385 people had been killed since Friday, including 56 civilians.

In Istanbul, 40 of the 120 members of the coalition resigned when Saudi-sponsored Ahmed Jarba, a Syrian tribal leader, was re-elected head of the western- and Arab-supported body. Mr Jarba defeated defected Syrian prime minister Riad Hijab, who had the support of an influential faction backed by Qatar and Turkey, and aligned with Mustafa Sabbagh who is tied to the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.

The Syrian National Council, a key component of the coalition, has said it will not attend the conference.

Coalition members who resigned protested against vote-buying and pressure to attend the conference, where the government and opposition are meant to agree to the formation of a transitional authority.