US-trained rebels in Syria refuse to fight against Al-Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front

Most Syrian rebel groups have as their first priority defeat of the Assad government. However, they will defend themselves against other more radical Islamist rebel groups if they are attacked which has happened with the Islamic State and Al Nusra front.

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The US policy has been to emphasize first and foremost the battle against the Islamic State in Syria. The result is not only outright tension between US trained and supported groups but even attacks on them by other rebels. The most recently trained group of rebels was attacked and routed by the Al Nusra front. The US program to train and equip rebels to fight IS began in May. Early on in the U.S.-led bombing campaign against IS back in November of 2014 the Al-Qaeda-linked Al Nusra Front has been a target as well with disastrous results as far as US relationships with other rebel groups is concerned. The US has continued this policy even though the Al Nusra Front itself has fought against IS and is also a key force fighting Assad in areas such as Aleppo.

The rebels trained by the US are now refusing to fight back against the Al Nusra front insisting they were told that they were to fight IS. Fighting against the Front not only exposes them to the type of devastating attack they have just recently suffered but will bring down the wrath of other rebel groups upon them. The US view must be that whoever pays the piper calls the tune.

Back in May, Al-Nusra leader Abu Al-Golani said that the Front had no plans to target the West but said its options were open should the Americans continue attacks against them. Every group he noted has the right to defend themselves. He described the rebels supported by the US as "the arms" of the US government in Syria. The recent attack caused the US supported group not only to abandon their base but, as mentioned, to refuse to fight back. In recent months the Front defeated two other Western-back rebel groups forcing them to disband. The US push to form an effective proxy force on the ground to battle IS is in complete disarray.

The US has recently upped its involvement in Syria by declaring that they will bomb any group whether Assad or rebel forces that attack US-backed rebels. This is unlikely to have any effect except to turn the vast majority or rebel forces even more against the US. The US first bombed Al-Nusra front last September causing outrage among almost all rebel groups. The Nusra Front has taken further steps to complicate US policy in Syria by withdrawing its forces fronting the Islamic State in areas that Turkey and the US plan to be a "safe zone" on the border with Turkey. The Front said the decision was taken to avoid cooperating with the US-Turkish plan to create a safe zone in northern Aleppo province along the Turkish border.

Assad forces capture key central town from Al Qaeda-linked rebels

The Syrian military is taking more territory in the central province of Hama and are reported to have retaken the town of Morek. The town is important because it is close to the crucial Damascus-Aleppo highway arguably the most important road in Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that supports the rebels reports that the town is under the control of the military but surprisingly Syrian State media reported only that the military held most of the town. The town was seized by rebels with the Al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front nine months ago. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights statement said: "Regime troops and their militia allies took back total control of Morek in the north of Hama countryside, after fierce battles that have raged" The battles began on Wednesday night and the assault was aided by air raids.
 As the Syrian government has now secured most of metro Damascus, they are moving north towards Aleppo to regain territory on the road towards Aleppo hoping to gain control of the city. The regime lost control of much of the road to Aleppo since a rebel offensive in July of 2012. The town is also near the province of Idlib held mostly by moderate rebels who managed to drive out the IS earlier in the year. So far the Syrian conflict is estimated to have killed more than 180,000 people and forced almost half the population from their homes in an attempt to flee the battle. The war has taken a heavy toll on the Syrian army as well since the conflict began back in 2011. 
 Aram Nerguizian of the Centtre for Strategic and International Studies told AFP: "Defections, desertions and attrition after three years of civil war saw Syria's total manpower decline from a high of 325,000 in 2011 to 295,000 in 2012 to an estimated 178,000 in 2013 and 2014," This does not mean that Assad's forces are much weaker now. They are now experienced fighters adept at counter insurgency tactics. They are helped also by the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and by military aid from Russia and Iran. They have gradually been regaining some ground.
The concentration upon the defeat of ISIS with US bombing has only helped. Even worse from the rebel point of view the US bombed Al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front a key ally of the rebels in the fight against Assad.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that some 40,000 soldiers along with 27,000 pro-regime forces have been killed in the conflict as well as 55,000 rebel fighters. So far the Syrian army has not had any special recruitment campaign but Syrian men between 18 and 50 are required to serve at least 18 months, a term which can be extended. Neguizian noted: "The insurgency in Syria forced Syrian ground forces, and manpower in general, to either adapt or die. Large units were divided up into smaller nimbler units, ineffective and ageing leadership was sidelined, and new or emerging junior officers began to take on greater operational responsibility." Stephen Biddle of the US Council on Foreign Relations said that Assad is unlikely to be able to defeat the rebels and take back all the territory he has lost at least not in the near future.