Karkamis, Turkey -
Al-Qaeda fighters have struck a bloody blow in scenes of medieval
violence in Syria’s northern border-town of Jarabulus. Fighting came to a
head on January 17, between rebel groups Liwa al-Tawhid Brigade and the
al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the
town, when reinforcements arrived from Raqqa and reclaimed the city in a
brutal four-hour battle.
By nightfall, at least 10 men had been beheaded, their heads mounted
on spikes, and more than 1,000 refugees fled the 3kms across the border
to Turkey.
It’s a shocking turn of events for residents and Free Syrian Army
(FSA) fighters alike, who just a week ago believed they were hours away
from expelling the al-Qaeda group from their city altogether after
surrounding the last 40 fighters in the city’s cultural centre.
But when an ISIL car bomb killed 33 people – all women and children –
the FSA brigade called for backup. Instead, what arrived was a 70-car
ISIL convoy from Raqqa, an ISIL stronghold 160kms to the south-east.
Fighters say half of the militants wore their usual black uniform and
half wore camouflage like the FSA, and were uncharacteristically
clean-shaven. The disguised fighters tied white bands around their arms
to distinguish themselves from the real FSA.
Beheadings
More than 100 men were taken from their homes and escorted to the main square for what turned into a bloodbath.
Muhammad Jader, 22, and his uncle Ali, 35, were among those arrested.
“They lined us up against the wall,” Jader told Al Jazeera, “and the
emir told them not to waste bullets. Suddenly they grabbed one guy and
pinned him down on his stomach. Then one man from ISIL put his knee on
his back, shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ and cut off his head with a knife.”
“They chose people at random to kill,” he said. “There was no logic.”
One was beheaded because they found cigarettes in his pocket.
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