Syrian activists say jihadist fighters linked to al-Qaeda fought with rebels to capture a Syrian air defense base.
The jihadists posted video online following the capture of the missile base.
YNet reported:
Syria activists: Jihadists seize missile base
Videos posted online Friday, apparently shot inside air defense base near Aleppo, show fighters linked to al-Qaeda participating in overnight battle, inspecting lines of large missiles.
Anti-regime activists say jihadist fighters linked to al-Qaeda fought with rebels to capture a Syrian military air defense base near Aleppo.
Videos posted online Friday apparently shot inside the base say Jabhat al-Nusra participated in the overnight battle for the base. The videos show fighters inspecting lines of large missiles.
Two Aleppo-based activists and Rami Abdul-Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, also say Jabhat al-Nusra fought in the battle.
The base’s capture is sure to fuel fears that Islamic extremists are playing a greater role after nearly 19 months of unrest in Syria. Western powers cite their presence as a reason not to arm the rebels.
Syrian opposition activists estimate more than 32,000 people have been killed since March 2011 when the uprising against President Bashar Assad’s regime began.
Clashes were also taking place Friday at a military barracks close to Maarat al-Nuaman, a town on the main highway to the northwestern city of Aleppo which was seized by rebel forces earlier this week.
