Turkey training Syria rebels, says FSA fighter

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Just a few months ago, Thwaiba Kanafani was leading a normal life with her husband, six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter in Canada.

An engineer by training, she had been working in the oil industry.

But now she has left all that behind.

When we met up in the city of Adana in southern Turkey, she had just fled across the border from the Syrian city of Aleppo after a mission with rebel forces that went wrong.

Two male colleagues who were acting as her minders, were killed.

At the end of June she joined the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and was given a particularly dangerous role to fulfil.

As a woman she has able to move more easily around the streets of Aleppo than the men.

“Lots of women are working with me and we do a lot of spying work,” she says.

“We usually check the locations of regime people [military forces] and check where would be the best points to locate the Free Syrian Army.

“We also spy on high-ranking people in the government so we can help the FSA arrest and capture them.”

In the midst of all this, she speaks on the phone with her family every day to reassure them she is fine.

“I wonder why I am not afraid of being shot through the head,” she says pointing to her forehead.

“But sometimes when you face death, you lose your fear.”

‘Secret nerve centre’

Thwaiba Kanafani is one of a growing number of Syrians without any previous military experience who have joined the rebels.

There is a special training programme based in Turkey at secret camps run by the Turkish military, she says.

“The Turkish people are really helping us. Lots of people are getting training in those camps.”

“The training is really professional. You can only sleep four hours a day.

“You have to climb mountains, you get weapons training. It’s hard work.”

Qatar and Saudi Arabia are also reported to be providing assistance for what has been described as a secret nerve centre for military aid and communications for the Syrian rebels.

This is reported to have been set up in Adana.

None of these countries has confirmed the existence of the base.

Separately, Syrian opposition sources have told the BBC they have been called to meetings with foreigners in Istanbul in recent weeks to discuss recruiting volunteers from different cities in Syria to staff an “operation room” in Turkey.

The aim is to co-ordinate and plan rebel actions and the supply of weapons.

Turkey has denied supplying weapons to the Syrian rebels.

Covert help

The failure of the United Nations to reach agreement on how to resolve the Syrian crisis seems to have spurred a number of countries to step up unilateral assistance to rebel forces.

It has been reported in recent days that US President Barack Obama has given the go-ahead for covert help to be provided, although it is not clear what kind of assistance is being considered.

On Friday the British government confirmed it would provide more communications equipment to the rebels next month.

The rebels themselves have been asking the international community for many months for much more sophisticated weapons, including portable anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles.

This, they believe, would turn the tide of the conflict decisively in their favour.

At the moment helicopter gunships and fighter jets of the Syrian armed forces are able to carry out frequent attacks on rebel positions and tanks are being used in all major operations.

But so far countries backing the rebels have been reluctant, fearing the consequences of such weapons getting into the hands of jihadi groups now operating inside Syria.

BBC

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48 responses to “Turkey training Syria rebels, says FSA fighter”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    I suppose eventually we need to trust that ‘free thinking’ Syrians will eliminate the ‘jihadist’ thinking as well.
    I am sure for Thwaiba it was difficult to leave all behind, and perhaps cause her family grief, to go and serve an ‘ideal’.
    Yet women WILL gain the respect they deserve too. Eventually … everywhere. There is more to ‘Spring’ than a smell of fresh air.

    Nice to see an article with words from an honest, open Canadian who does not hide behind that ‘not official – do not quote me’ facade.

    1. But if she’s working as a spy why allow her photo to be shown???

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Come on dateam … she said ‘we’ … hmmm … all armies spy … did you ever hear of the telescope? 🙂

        1. bs244846 Avatar

          have you tried the irish whishy….by far superior to the scotch for many reasons….one because scotch whisky is so famous that it is becoming too industrialised and many even doubt scotland can distillate all this whisky…a bit like bordeaux wine, not enough grapes in france to make all of this bordeaux wine so they mix it with grapes from algeria and tunesia…..second irish whisky is triple distilled whereas scotch whisky is double distilled, third and most important because i drink it and tastes superior, last but not least it is halal, and you can drink it even if fasting for ramadan… i know a sunna imam working with FSA, for 25 irish pounds he will make a fatwa halalising irish scotch…actually this sunna imam is issueing fatwas halalising the use of hashish marijuana cocaine and heroine and other hallucinogens by the FSA army mercenaries coming from lybia egypt saoudi arabia jordan….all sunna for aysha…allah wa akbar wal 3izzatou lil jarab

        2. bs244846 Avatar

          have you tried the irish whishy….by far superior to the scotch for many reasons….one because scotch whisky is so famous that it is becoming too industrialised and many even doubt scotland can distillate all this whisky…a bit like bordeaux wine, not enough grapes in france to make all of this bordeaux wine so they mix it with grapes from algeria and tunesia…..second irish whisky is triple distilled whereas scotch whisky is double distilled, third and most important because i drink it and tastes superior, last but not least it is halal, and you can drink it even if fasting for ramadan… i know a sunna imam working with FSA, for 25 irish pounds he will make a fatwa halalising irish scotch…actually this sunna imam is issueing fatwas halalising the use of hashish marijuana cocaine and heroine and other hallucinogens by the FSA army mercenaries coming from lybia egypt saoudi arabia jordan….all sunna for aysha…allah wa akbar wal 3izzatou lil jarab

    2. bs244846 Avatar

      lol 5th drawer…u want to eliminate all who do not think like you yet you claim to be a free thinker….did i say free sinker lol

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Jihadists are hardly free thinkers, having been told what to believe in everything and how to make their own eliminations; although I never said I wanted to eliminate them. I want them to be ‘educated’. 😉

        1. wargame1 Avatar

          During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) the woman did fight during war including his wives.I have seen some other video where the Syrian woman are fighting and formed their own brigade.It doesnt make you a free thinker or manly be sending the woman to fight if it is not absolutely necessary. But any woman in Islam are encouraged to take up arms against the oppression.

          But I had some doubt about this particular woman from the beginning.I have seen her comment in many youtube channel. She is more revealing and directly saying that Turkey is training the rebel.You can see her interview on youtube. I have seen it yesterday and I had a feeing that she more like a “attention whore”. This is very likely a plant. The woman will fight anyway when it is necessary. I have seen small boys fighting in Syria. Sydney Oz has some good argument in this matter.

        2. bs244846 Avatar

          agree with you on jihadists and even further i do not think education is of great help to somebody who is brain dead…i believe we need more radical means to rid our societies from these microbes…unfortunately the west is using and abusing of their stupidity in order to create wars and we are suffering from the consequences…who else but a jihadi will commit suicide hoping to find 72 houris for sex…lol….all the theories that these r disinherited poor or biased against or under pressure is nonsense for if that was the case they would struggle for the better rather than kill themselves. I am pretty sure that suicidal bombing is the product of years of research by CIA psychiatrists and psychologists….what the west does not realise is that yesterday were the jews (please do not think i am defending the jews) then came the turn of the poor christians, now are the alawis tomorrow are the shias then the druze and after tomorrow will be the turn of the the west…wa man ya3esh yara…allah wa akbar wal izzatou lil jarab lol….yom il joum3aa boukra al sabt wa ba3d boukra al sha3nineh

      2. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Jihadists are hardly free thinkers, having been told what to believe in everything and how to make their own eliminations; although I never said I wanted to eliminate them. I want them to be ‘educated’. 😉

        1. wargame1 Avatar

          During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) the woman did fight during war including his wives.I have seen some other video where the Syrian woman are fighting and formed their own brigade.It doesnt make you a free thinker or manly be sending the woman to fight if it is not absolutely necessary. But any woman in Islam are encouraged to take up arms against the oppression.

          But I had some doubt about this particular woman from the beginning.I have seen her comment in many youtube channel. She is more revealing and directly saying that Turkey is training the rebel.You can see her interview on youtube. I have seen it yesterday and I had a feeing that she more like a “attention whore”. This is very likely a plant. The woman will fight anyway when it is necessary. I have seen small boys fighting in Syria. Sydney Oz has some good argument in this matter.

      3. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
        Mahdi Kenaani

        I hope you did…

  2. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    I suppose eventually we need to trust that ‘free thinking’ Syrians will eliminate the ‘jihadist’ thinking as well.
    I am sure for Thwaiba it was difficult to leave all behind, and perhaps cause her family grief, to go and serve an ‘ideal’.
    Yet women WILL gain the respect they deserve too. Eventually … everywhere. There is more to ‘Spring’ than a smell of fresh air.

    1. But if she’s working as a spy why allow her photo to be shown???

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Come on dateam … she said ‘we’ … hmmm … all armies spy … did you ever hear of the telescope? 🙂

        1. bs244846 Avatar

          have you tried the irish whishy….by far superior to the scotch for many reasons….one because scotch whisky is so famous that it is becoming too industrialised and many even doubt scotland can distillate all this whisky…a bit like bordeaux wine, not enough grapes in france to make all of this bordeaux wine so they mix it with grapes from algeria and tunesia…..second irish whisky is triple distilled whereas scotch whisky is double distilled, third and most important because i drink it and tastes superior, last but not least it is halal, i know a sunna imam working with FSA, for 25 irish pounds he will make a fatrwa halalising irish scotch…actually this sunna imam is halalising the use of hashish marijuana cocaine and heroine and other hallucinogens by the FSA army by fatwas…allah wa akbar wal 3izzatou lil jarab

    2. bs244846 Avatar

      lol 5th drawer…u want to eliminate all who do not think like you yet you claim to be a free thinker….did i say free sinker lol

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        Jihadists are hardly free thinkers, having been told what to believe in everything and how to make their own eliminations; although I never said I wanted to eliminate them. I want them to be ‘educated’. 😉

        1. wargame1 Avatar

          During the time of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) the woman did fight during war including his wives.I have seen some other video where the Syrian woman are fighting and formed their own brigade.It doesnt make you a free thinker or manly be sending the woman to fight if it is not absolutely necessary. But any woman in Islam are encouraged to take up arms against the oppression.

          But I had some doubt about this particular woman from the beginning.I have seen her comment in many youtube channel. She is more revealing and directly saying that Turkey is training the rebel.You can see her interview on youtube. I have seen it yesterday and I had a feeing that she more like a “attention whore”. This is very likely a plant. The woman will fight anyway when it is necessary. I have seen small boys fighting in Syria. 

        2. bs244846 Avatar

          agree with you on jihadists and even further i do not think education is of great help to somebody who is brain dead…i believe we need more radical means to rid our societies from these microbes…unfortunately the west is using and abusing of their stupidity in order to create wars and we are suffering from the consequences…who else but a jihadi will commit suicide hoping to find 72 houris for sex…lol….all the theories that these r disinherited poor or biased against or under pressure is nonsense for if that was the case they would struggle for the better rather than kill themselves. I am pretty sure that suicidal bombing is the product of years of research by CIA psychiatrists and psychologists….what the west does not realise is that yesterday were the jews (please do not think i am defending the jews) then came the turn of the poor christians, now are the alawis tomorrow are the shias then the druze and after tomorrow will be the turn of the the west…wa man ya3esh yara…allah wa akbar wal izzatou lil jarab lol….yom il joum3aa boukra al sabt wa ba3d boukra al sha3nineh

      2. Mahdi Kenaani Avatar
        Mahdi Kenaani

        I hope you did…

  3. bs244846 Avatar

    lol funny this website….tries cheap propaganda….i have only one comment upon seeing this well designed mannequin on picture who would be a barmaid rather than a fighter….btw good job for an undercover woman spying behind the ranks of the ennemy…lol….is she comiting suicide by putting her pic on your propaganda website? so lets come back to my comment: There are two types of horses; the plough horses and the parade horses….my impression this donkey is just for the parade lol oops this mule i meant

    1. Sydney Oz Avatar
      Sydney Oz

       I agree with bs244846 and dateam, the first thing that came to mind was strange how she is a spy but showing her face… Secondly, it appears also strange that these “training camps” are secret but she is outing them and thirdly, she is putting ALL women in Syria at risk by claiming that “Lots of women are working with me and we do a lot of spying work,”… This article is nothing but propaganda from the BBC aimed at justifying the massacre of women in Syria and allowing westerners to do nothing, as they have been, because the FSA is supposedly being helped by other countries already…

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        So, Oz … all women were not already at risk?
        And I don’t see where she gave the location of any camp. One might have known they would exist at least.

        1. Sydney Oz Avatar
          Sydney Oz

           5th of course women were already at risk but as civilians, whereas now they can be classified as “combatants” .. Maybe you have had one too many scotch

        2. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Never enough scotch in this strange world. 😉
          But not all women are combatants … although, like men who play in ‘war games’ on computers, they might like to be. But for anyone to think they would all be ‘classified’ as such may find a place in some despot’s ‘think tank’ for a while, along with other theorists … or indeed, some theologian’s book.
          Of course, some don’t believe women should be allowed to pick up a gun and join the men at all. The concept of ‘equality’ hasn’t settled in.

          My only question would be why she would take herself out of a safe and happy environment to help Syrians. But I assume it was a personal choice. I won’t castigate her for speaking up.

      2. wargame1 Avatar

        When she says she is a spy and at the same time identify herself with her name , identity and her Canadian nationality then she is indeed a plant; Yes she is now putting the Syrian woman in danger when she said many other woman are working with him as a spy; She is also putting Turkey in a uncomfortable position by saying many FSA solders including herself are trained by Turkey!!

        So any woman killed in a artillery or aircraft bomb will be considered a spy thus further legitimize the indiscriminate killing of woman and children.  I hope the free Syrian Army would capture this Attention Whore as soon as they can and put an end to this dangerous propaganda. 

        1. bs244846 Avatar

          i dont think the so called FSA will put an end to this whore as you rightly named her for one simple reason: FSA consists exclusively of whores…the condition sine qua non to be an FSA member is to be a whore, male or female no difference

        2. bs244846 Avatar

          i dont think the so called FSA will put an end to this whore as you rightly named her for one simple reason: FSA consists exclusively of whores…the condition sine qua non to be an FSA member is to be a whore, male or female no difference

        3. bs244846 Avatar

          The koran you read is different from the one distributed and sponsored by saoudi arabia which is the master of the free syrian army….if a woman is not allowed to drive a car how for Gods sake is she allowed to fight…can she drive a tank???? so while fighting, if forced to drive a tank or an ambulance she will say no i cant allah forbids…lol aysha fought against the shia because and here i rely on shia sources which are much more reliable than the sunna ones, because she poisonned the prophet and wanted abu bakr to follow him whereas ali the legal successor was not desirable to aysha…so get your information right buddy for next time….one last comment, i never heard peace be upon him said to prophet mohammad, in arabic people say salla 3alayhi allahou wa sallam, so please do explain to me how do you translate it to peace be upon him and where the koran refers to peace please. Thank you in advance

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Well, BS … that’s what some women actually look like under those black wraps. Just so you know.

  4. bs244846 Avatar

    lol funny this website….tries cheap propaganda….i have only one comment upon seeing this well designed mannequin on picture who would be a barmaid rather than a fighter….btw good job for an undercover woman spying behind the ranks of the ennemy…lol….is she comiting suicide by putting her pic on your propaganda website? so lets come back to my comment: There are two types of horses; the plough horses and the parade horses….my impression this donkey is just for the parade lol oops this mule i meant

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Well, BS … that’s what some women actually look like under those black wraps. Just so you know.

  5. bs244846 Avatar

    lol funny this website….tries cheap propaganda….i have only one comment upon seeing this well designed mannequin on picture who would be a barmaid rather than a fighter….btw good job for an undercover woman spying behind the ranksof the ennmy…lol….is she comiting suicide by putting her pic on your propaganda website? so lets come back to my comment: There are two types of horses; the plough horses and the parade horses….my impression this donkey is just for the parade lol

    1. Sydney Oz Avatar
      Sydney Oz

       I agree with bs244846 and dateam, the first thing that came to mind was strange how she is a spy but showing her face… Secondly, it appears also strange that these “training camps” are secret but she is outing them and thirdly, she is putting ALL women in Syria at risk by claiming that “Lots of women are working with me and we do a lot of spying work,”… This article is nothing but propaganda from the BBC aimed at justifying the massacre of women in Syria and allowing westerners to do nothing, as they have been, because the FSA is supposedly being helped by other countries already…

      1. 5thDrawer Avatar
        5thDrawer

        So, Oz … all women were not already at risk?

        1. Sydney Oz Avatar
          Sydney Oz

           5th of course women were already at risk but as civilians, whereas now they can be classified as “combatants” .. Maybe you have had one too many scotch

        2. 5thDrawer Avatar
          5thDrawer

          Never enough scotch in this strange world. 😉
          But not all women are combatants … although, like men who play in ‘war games’ on computers, they might like to be. But for anyone to think they would all be ‘classified’ as such may find a place in some despot’s ‘think tank’ for a while, along with other theorists … or indeed, some theologian’s book.
          Of course, some don’t believe women should be allowed to pick up a gun and join the men at all. The concept of ‘equality’ hasn’t settled in.

      2. wargame1 Avatar

        When she says she is a spy and at the same time identify herself with her name , identity and her Canadian nationality then she is indeed a plant; Yes she is now putting the Syrian woman in danger when she said many other woman are working with him as a spy; She is also putting Turkey in a uncomfortable position by saying many FSA solders including herself are trained by Turkey!!

        So any woman killed in a artillery or aircraft bomb will be considered a spy thus further legitimize the indiscriminate killing of woman and children.  I hope the free Syrian Army would capture this Attention Whore as soon as they can and put an end to this dangerous propaganda. 

        1. bs244846 Avatar

          i dont think the so called FSA will put an end to this whore as you rightly named her for one simple reason: FSA consists exclusively of whores…the condition sine qua non to be an FSA member is to be a whore, male or female no difference

        2. bs244846 Avatar

          The koran you read is different from the one distributed and sponsored by saoudi arabia which is the master of the free syrian army….if a woman is not allowed to drive a car how for Gods sake is she allowed to fight…can she drive a tank???? so while fighting if forced to drive a tank or an ambulance she will say no i cant allah forbids…lol aysha fought against the shia because and here i rely on shia sources which are much more reliable than the sunna ones, because she poisonned the prophet and wanted abu bakr to follow him whereas ali the legal successor was not desirable to aysha…so get your information right buddy for next time….one last comment, i never heard peace be upon him said to prophet mohammad, in arabic people say salla 3alayhi allahou wa sallam, so please do explain to me hopw do you translate it to peace be upon him and where the koran refers to peace please. Thank you in advance

    2. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      Well, BS … that’s what some women actually look like under those black wraps. Just so you know.

  6. The biggest test for the rebels is looming. As victory becomes more evident, the Zionists now make their move offering to help the rebels, just as they did in Libya. Once you take their money and their help , they now own you, and you have to pay them back by supporting their interest ,thus bringing the situation back to the beginning of the drawing board,and the saga. Continues. KNOW THIS!!! Jihad bi sabeelilah Means not using the disbelievers( Kuffar) as your protectors and allies. Also know this . It is better to die fighting for what’s right, than to die in your bed of a painful disease . The Zionists are desparetly trying to save face with the world by helping the rebels. Too little too late as Kofi Annan said. Do not feel sorry for the Martyrs they are the most honoured amongst us. Feel sorry for the the people who cling on to this dunya, who’s time is so short. Brothers inn Islam ,Jahadu (struggle) with your wealth and your body and souls in Allahs path, if you want to be successfully.

    1. Do you think “Zionists” have such a power? The Israelis don’t want to interfere at all in Syria and don’t want any part of this mess. We are not naiive like the Americans. Israelis don’t like to see Assad loyalists murder ordinary civilians, yet they don’t like to see Jihadists execute Syrians or imposing Sunni Sharia laws on all the others – Secular sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, Christians or Druze. That’s why Israel avoided so far with identifying or assisting anyone in this brutal conflict.

  7. The biggest test for the rebels is looming. As victory becomes more evident, the Zionists now make their move offering to help the rebels, just as they did in Libya. Once you take their money and their help , they now own you, and you have to pay them back by supporting their interest ,thus bringing the situation back to the beginning of the drawing board,and the saga. Continues. KNOW THIS!!! Jihad bi sabeelilah Means not using the disbelievers( Kuffar) as your protectors and allies. Also know this . It is better to die fighting for what’s right, than to die in your bed of a painful disease . The Zionists are desparetly trying to save face with the world by helping the rebels. Too little too late as Kofi Annan said. Do not feel sorry for the Martyrs they are the most honoured amongst us. Feel sorry for the the people who cling on to this dunya, who’s time is so short. Brothers inn Islam ,Jahadu (struggle) with your wealth and your body and souls in Allahs path, if you want to be successfully.

    1. Do you think “Zionists” have such a power? The Israelis don’t want to interfere at all in Syria and don’t want any part of this mess. We are not naiive like the Americans. Israelis don’t like to see Assad loyalists murder ordinary civilians, yet they don’t like to see Jihadists execute Syrians or imposing Sunni Sharia laws on all the others – Secular sunnis, Shiites, Alawites, Christians or Druze. That’s why Israel avoided so far with identifying or assisting anyone in this brutal conflict.

  8. abulrih Avatar

    amazing story…i read such novels as a kid…are we to believe a house wife with very young children left all to bring down the regime in syria?? 2 of her handlers died yet she made it due to her innocense *no skills*…must be on the right cause/just cause?
    chaos theory people…may God help the real innocent population ..may God help the regime…God rest Saddams soul…we have a live example of our countries being infected and left to rot…wake up people

  9. abulrih Avatar

    amazing story…i read such novels as a kid…are we to believe a house wife with very young children left all to bring down the regime in syria?? 2 of her handlers died yet she made it due to her innocense *no skills*…must be on the right cause/just cause?
    chaos theory people…may God help the real innocent population ..may God help the regime…God rest Saddams soul…we have a live example of our countries being infected and left to rot…wake up people

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