The presence of foreign Islamic militants battling Syria’s regime is raising concerns over the possible injection of al-Qaida’s influence into the country’s civil war. Syria’s rebels share some of those misgivings.
Main players in Syria’s civil war
Here are key players in the Syrian civil war:
Car bomb explosion near Shiite gathering in Iraq kills 11
A car bomb killed 11 people when it exploded shortly after sunset Wednesday near a gathering of Shiite Muslims south of Baghdad, Iraqi officials said, the latest apparent sectarian attack in the increasingly troubled country.
Deadliest Day in 2 Years in Iraq, 106 people killed
Bombings and shootings ripped across Iraq on Monday, killing at least 106 people in the deadliest day in more than two years. The coordinated attacks in 15 cities sent a chilling warning that al-Qaida is slowly resurging in the security vacuum created by a weak government in Baghdad
Al-Qaida offshoots may be exploiting Syria turmoil
Beirut, Lebanon — An al-Qaida-inspired group said it was responsible for dozens of attacks across Syria, the latest evidence that extremists are exploiting the chaos to make inroads in another Middle Eastern country.
Suicide vehicle bomb hits Syria military compound
A suicide vehicle bomb tore through the parking lot of a military compound in an eastern Syrian city on Saturday, killing nine people in the latest in a series of blasts in recent months targeting security installations, the country’s state media reported.
Syrian security forces behind bombings not al-Qaida, report
Military defectors in northern Syria have denounced claims that al-Qaida was behind a series of deadly bombings in Damascus, contradicting the UN secretary general’s assessment that the terror group is taking a lead in the insurgency.
30 Al-Qaida Militants Killed In Fighting In Yemen
Government troops backed by warplanes and heavy artillery pounded al-Qaida positions in southern Yemen on Sunday, killing at least 30 militants, officials said.
Senior al-Qaida leader killed in US airstrike in Yemen
An airstrike Sunday killed a top al-Qaida leader on the FBI’s most wanted list for his role in the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole warship, Yemeni officials said. The drone attack was carried out by the CIA, U.S. officials said.
Security source denies existence of Al Qaeda cells in Lebanon
A well informed security reference in Lebanon denied the existence of “Al Qaeda”elements in Lebanon and infiltration of terrorists from Lebanon to Syria . He told Al Sharq Awsat newspaper : “There are no Al Qaeda cells in Lebanon and no terrorists infiltrated from Lebanon to Syria.”