Nearly Half Of Syria's Rebel Fighters Are Jihadists Or Hardline Islamists (Updated)

The flag of Al-Qaeda. Jihadist fighters for groups linked to Al-Qaeda, as well as hardline Islamists, comprise nearly half of the Syrian civil war rebels, a new report says. Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Islamists Dominate Syrian Insurgency -- Threat Matrix

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in the spring of 2011, the role of jihadi extremists in the rebel forces has been the subject of much commentary and debate. What started ostensibly as a domestic rebellion by pro-democracy activists against the Assad regime during the Arab spring has evolved into a complex Middle Eastern proxy war with strong sectarian currents. As in other Muslim countries affected by the Arab spring, Islamists have taken an increasingly prominent role in Syria. And while the West mulls over its response to the chemical attack in Damascus in Aug. 21, the US-Russian deal for the surrender of the Assad chemical arsenal, and rebel protests that the deal fails to tip the balance in their favor, the question must be asked: Who are the rebels now?

Yesterday the Telegraph reported that according to a recent study by the respected British defense consultancy IHS Jane's, nearly half of the 100,000-some rebel fighters are "now aligned to jihadist or hardline Islamist groups."

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More News On Reports That Nearly Half Of Syria's Rebel Fighters Are Jihadists Or Hardline Islamists

Syrian civil war rebels are nearly half jihadist or Islamist, report says -- JNS.org
Syria: nearly half rebel fighters are jihadists or hardline Islamists, says IHS Jane's report -- The Telegraph
Half of Syrian rebels are hardline Islamists: British study -- FOX News/AFP
Half of rebel fighters in Syria are jihadists or Islamists -- Business Standard
Extremists and Al-Qaeda carrying rebel fight in Syria – study -- RT
Almost Half of Syria’s 100,000 Rebel Fighters are Hardline Islamists -- AllGov
Analysts differ on power of jihadists in Syria -- Deutsche Welle
What is the Obama-backed Free Syrian Army? -- Alex Newman, The New American
Just How Extremist Are the Rebels in Syria? -- Jamie Dettmer, Daily Beast
Who are Syria's rebels? -- Dan Murphy, Christian Science Monitor