US embassy cable - 05DAMASCUS6326

C O N F I D E N T I A L DAMASCUS 006326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
PARIS FOR ZEYA, LONDON FOR TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PGOV, PREL, SY, HRCS 
SUBJECT: SARG HIGHLIGHTS TWO RECENT CLASHES WITH ISLAMISTS 
 
REF: DAM 4824 
 
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Stephen A. Seche for reasons 1.4 b/d 
 
 1.  (C) Summary:  Two Islamist militants were injured in a 
shoot-out with Syrian security forces the morning of December 
4 in Aleppo, according to Syrian media.  A previously 
unreported clash between security forces and militants also 
occurred in Aleppo a week earlier, leaving two dead and three 
injured, according to Syria's state-run news agency.  In both 
instances, Syrian media indicated the militants were 
"takfiris," an Arabic term for those committed to the 
elimination of infidels for not applying Islamic law.  One 
contact says he believes the clashes are a sign of the SARG's 
own battle with Islamic militants and its efforts to stem the 
flow of fighters to Iraq.  End summary. 
 
2.  (C) Five people, including two Islamists, were injured in 
a shoot-out with Syrian anti-terrorism forces at about 1130 
December 4 on the road to Aleppo's airport, according to 
Syrian media.  The standoff apparently took place after the 
militants sneaked away from a nearby location under a 
month-long Syrian surveillance effort, according to 
Associated Press correspondent Albert Aji.  The militants 
drove to a vehicle registration center in Aleppo where they 
planned to set off a bomb to take revenge on Syrian 
authorities, said Aji, citing a personal source in Aleppo. 
Security agents prevented the militants from carrying out 
their plan, according to state media.  The militants suffered 
serious injuries, while two civilians and a member of Syrian 
security sustained minor injuries, according to the media. 
 
3.  (U) A previously unreported clash between security forces 
and militants also occurred in Aleppo a week earlier, 
reportedly leaving two dead and three injured, according to 
Syria's state-run news agency.  Authorities seized a weapons 
cache after that incident, according to official media.  In 
both instances, Syrian media indicated the militants were 
"takfiris," an Arabic term for those committed to the 
elimination of infidels for not applying Islamic law. 
 
4.  (C) According to Aji, the recent clashes indicate the 
SARG is combating militant Islamists on its territory.  He 
speculated that the militants probably belonged to the Jund 
al Sham group and were based in the Aleppo area to facilitate 
the passage of fighters to Iraq.  Aji also cited Aleppo's 
historically strong ties to Islam, including to the Muslim 
Brotherhood. 
 
5.  (C) Comment:  Since the middle of this year, the SARG has 
publicly highlighted efforts to confront violent Islamist 
elements (reftel).  In view of the continuing pressure on the 
SARG to cooperate with the Mehlis investigation, the regime 
may be seeking to signal cooperation in other areas, 
including in the war against militant Islamist groups. 
SECHE