The Syrian Arab army has taken back the town of Kassab, which was occupied by mercenaries attached to the Al-Nusra Front (Al-Qaeda) and the Army of Islam (pro-Saudi).

The Jihadists, who had entered Syria escorted by the Turkish army [1] were prevented - for the first time in three years - from retreating back into Turkey by the same Turkish Army which has closed the border. They dispersed around the countryside neighboring Idleb.

Everything seems to indicate that the Turkish army has changed its strategy and withdrew its support to the Contras following the foray of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) into Iraq. A victory of the mercenaries in Iraq would lead to the partition of the country into three independent states, including a Kurdistan which will inevitable extend into the current Turkey.

[1] “Turkey helps foreign mercenaries slip into Syria”, Voltaire Network, 22 March 2014 and “Turkish army downs Syrian combat aircraft”, Voltaire Network, 23 March 2014.