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Special Report
Analyzing Aleppo
Just who are the rebels and why is the fight here against Syria’s regime dragging on so long?
(Page 2 of 2)
In light of the existence of such hardline elements, we can appreciate better the reports of the formation of Christian defense militias to protect Christian neighborhoods and churches in Aleppo. In addition, there have been reports of Christian residents fleeing from areas like Midan in Aleppo to Beirut in Lebanon and Tartous on the Syrian coast.
As happened in Iraq post-2003, Christians in Aleppo have been very much caught in the middle of all the violence, facing attacks on churches (from mortar fire) and kidnappings. Of course, other civilians will have suffered the latter to a degree as well.
The overall picture, where the rebels still face difficulties in navigating through the city, growing local resentment, and possible reinforcements for regime forces, points to an ongoing battle that is unlikely to end soon, with perhaps slow gains on aggregate for the rebels in a similar manner to how the Libyan rebels’ fight against Gaddafi progressed over months during the Libyan civil war.
A further impediment exists if rebels clash with Kurdish militiamen (Popular Protection Units and the PKK) in Aleppo, who are still aiming to maintain a neutral position in the conflict and have apparently taken on rebels and regime forces when provoked. Pace the rebel propaganda, the Kurdish fighters are not assisting the regime but rather simply want the Tawheed Brigade et al. to leave the Kurdish areas of Aleppo alone.
In the event of the regime’s downfall, a significant tension may arise between native rebels and the foreign jihadists, perhaps spilling into all-out conflict between the two sides in Aleppo.
In this scenario, one could see the jihadists eventually entrenching themselves rather as al Qaeda has done in Mosul in Iraq today: that is, establishing an extensive extortion network to fund operations. A similar development could take place in Deir ez-Zor.
About the Author
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi is a Shillman-Ginsburg Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and a student at Brasenose College, Oxford University. His website is http://www.aymennjawad.org.
Alan| 10.8.12 @ 7:43AM
Muslims killing Muslims, whats new here, move on.
TLP| 10.8.12 @ 9:32AM
Why are all of these Religion of Peace guys, standing around with Guns in their hands? Isn't this - Take Your Daughter to Work and Stone Her to Death Day, over there, today? Shouldn't they be gathering rocks in a pail?
No. It's not. I got the dates confused.
It's have your Buddies Rape your Wife so you can get a - Divorce by Stoning - Decree, from the Local Porno loving Mullah Day.
What was I thinking?
eloris| 10.8.12 @ 10:52PM
You noticed the part about the Christians at all?
Von Mises Jr| 10.8.12 @ 9:06AM
Perhaps we should send them gernade launchers as we did in Libya. What could go wrong?
TLP| 10.8.12 @ 9:25AM
Perhaps we should send all these Sand N-words a Fat Man and a Little Boy. (And, no Alan B. I don't mean that we send them You, and that Missing Paperboy you've got tied up in your "Playroom")
Relax.
Have a Banana.
Harry the Horrible| 10.8.12 @ 10:41AM
The "rebels" are Al Qaeda and Moslem Botherhood. The government is a corrupt, bloodthirsty, terrorist supporting dictatorship.
All things considered, if we were stupid enough to intervene, I'd say support Assad. Corrupt, bloodthirsty dictators are easier to deal with than corrupt bloodthirsty Islamic "Republics." And they're easier on Christians and minority religions.
ncatty| 10.8.12 @ 1:38PM
Too late, Assad is Putin's boy.
cicero| 10.8.12 @ 11:05AM
This should make Romney's speech on foreign affairs very interesting. Hopefully, he will not suggest that we get involved with this "tar baby". However, I am afraid that the Republicans will suggest that we back the "rebels", who will turn out to be just another power hungry group that will embarass us.
By the time this "Arab Spring" thing is over, we should see the Middle East united under a single entity. If the West stays out of it, they will bite somebody else's hand, and will end up with the capability of not being able to feed themselves until they reduce their population by violent means (war), and bring Camel and goat meat farming to a high art.
You have to feel sorry for the common man over there. However, they are also the ones who dance in the streets whenever the West is bloodied, and are the ones who have put up with, and backed, the most radical elements of Islam since its inception.
John786| 10.8.12 @ 1:42PM
The Syrian regime is carrying out genocide in Syria and Mr Jawad as usual brings us tittle tattle from the frontline. This regime will fall. It is in the intrest of all the people of Syria to be allied with the opposition.
Alej| 10.8.12 @ 4:19PM
Did you know that Middle East Muslims invented the condom a millenium ago, using the intestines of a goat?
And about two centuries ago, the British improved on the concept, by taking it out of the goat.
Havoc| 10.9.12 @ 1:23AM
Mr. Al-Tamimi:
I don't care why the fighting in Alleppo is 'dragging on'. Syria's problems are neither mine nor America's. In fact, muslims killing one another in large numbers (for a long time) sounds like an improvement over what has passed for American Middle East foreign policy for the last thirty years.
Now, don't wake me again - unless you have something important to discuss.