Commentary
Yezid Sayigh
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Source: Getty
In The Media
U.S-led Air Raids Target Syria Rebel Groups
U.S.-led air raids have struck Syrian rebels not linked to the Islamic State, expanding the coalitions raids for the second time to other groups fighting in Syria, including Ahrar al-Sham and the Nusra Front.
By Yezid Sayigh
Published on Nov 6, 2014
Source: Al Jazeera English
The United States coalition has targeted two powerful al-Qaeda related groups in Syria, Nusra Front and Ahrar al-Sham in Aleppo and in Idlib province in the northwest of Syria. It is the second time groups other than the Islamic State have been hit by the coalition, as the Nusra Front has been making headway in Idlib in the past week, pushing U.S.-supported rebel groups from their stronghold in the province.
Speaking on Al Jazeera English, Carnegie’s Yezid Sayigh said that “if the situation is not brought under control, Nusra Front potentially could end up controlling at least one—if not both—of the last two border crossings open to the moderate opposition into Turkey, through which they receive the flow of recruits, trainees, weapons and munitions, and international humanitarian assistance. Everything that the liberated areas rely on now, that is based in Turkey, works through these two border crossings.”
About the Author
Yezid Sayigh
Senior Fellow, Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center
Yezid Sayigh is a senior fellow at the Malcolm H. Kerr Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut, where he leads the program on Civil-Military Relations in Arab States (CMRAS). His work focuses on the comparative political and economic roles of Arab armed forces, the impact of war on states and societies, the politics of postconflict reconstruction and security sector transformation in Arab transitions, and authoritarian resurgence.
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Recent Work
Carnegie India does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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