city took up arms against another, seizing its stores of ammunition, fuel and food.
The incident
near an Aleppo frontline underlined the rebel rivalries that only worsened in
the face of an unprecedented onslaught by Russian-backed government forces,
supported by Shi'ite militias from across the region.
Rebel
infighting has plagued the Syrian opposition since the start of the uprising
against President Bashar al-Assad in 2011, helping to put him on the verge of
the biggest victory yet.
The
unexpectedly rapid retreat in Aleppo is provoking recriminations among an
opposition divided by local rivalries as well as ideological differences
between jihadists and more nationalist groups.
With Aleppo
long seen as a stronghold of mainstream groups fighting under the Free Syrian
Army (FSA) banner, jihadist influence will only grow if Assad and his allies
win there, leaving the West with even fewer partners on the ground.
In the
November incident, an FSA group, Fastaqim, came under attack from the Nour
al-Din al-Zinki movement, a faction that also counts itself part of the FSA but
has recently moved closer to jihadist groups.
This damaged
morale. "Unfortunately it had a very negative impact on the factions and
on the internal situation," said an official in another Aleppo rebel
group, the Jabha Shamiya, speaking from Turkey.
"It
affected the psychological condition of the fighters, and the internal
situation for the civilians."
The struggle
amounted to a turf war, as so often among the myriad rebel groups.
Zinki sources
said the background to the incident was a Fastaqim plot against one of its
allies. Fastaqim said Zinki was trying to crush mainstream groups in Aleppo in
collaboration with the jihadists of the Fateh al-Sham group.
"In some
ways, the relations among the Aleppo factions deteriorated even as the
pro-regime offensive was ramping up," said Noah Bonsey, senior analyst
with International Crisis Group. "That may have played a role in the
opposition's limited ability to defend against the opening stages of the
offensives."
JIHADIST
INFLUENCE TO EXPAND
The rebels
have been on the back foot since the Russian air force intervened on Assad's
behalf in September, 2015. Rebels say their internal divisions are a marginal
factor in their setbacks when compared with the firepower unleashed by the
Russian bombers, Shi'ite militias, and the army.
But splits
have nevertheless played a part. Conflict among rebels this year helped Assad
and his allies to make significant gains near his seat of power in Damascus.
The
newly-appointed leader of one of the biggest rebel groups, the Islamist Ahrar
al-Sham, blamed "destructive divisions" this week for the
opposition's setbacks, and urged a new effort toward unity.
But Ahrar
al-Sham also faces divisions in its own ranks between one camp that is close to
the FSA groups, and another that wants closer ties with al Qaeda-inspired
insurgents.
The rebels are
making what may be a final attempt to organize themselves into a more effective
"Aleppo Army". But after losing large parts of their territory in the
city, it may be too late.
The loss of
Aleppo would still leave the rebels in control of large areas to the west and
southwest of the city, including all of Idlib province and large parts of Hama
province.
But these are
areas where jihadist factions dominate, including Fateh al-Sham, formerly known
as the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, which has crushed numerous Western-backed
rebel factions during the conflict.
Jihadist
influence discouraged the United States from supplying rebels with the more
powerful weaponry they sought. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump has indicated
he may stop supporting the opposition altogether.
A rebel
commander in a town north of Aleppo said that instead of protesting against
Assad, people in his area had put up posters criticizing rebel commanders.
"They are
all demanding unity," he said.
REUTERS
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