Konflikten i Syrien

http://www.timesofisrael.com/syrian-rebel-officer-we-could-work-with-israel-but-quietly/

The Free Syrian Army could tactically collaborate with Israel in toppling the Assad regime, as long as such cooperation is carried out in utter secrecy, a senior FSA officer told The Times of Israel on Wednesday.

The intelligence officer, who defected from the Assad regime in September 2012, spoke from Amman on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of his current position . . .

In talks with the American embassy in Amman immediately following his defection, the officer conveyed FSA requests for the transfer of portable American surface-to-air Stinger missiles and advanced anti-tank weaponry to confront the Assad regime, but to no avail.

“Some [anti-tank] TOW missiles have leaked in, but not enough to decide the battles or turn the tide,” he said. “We need these weapons in order to topple the regime, while preventing the jihadist organizations from remaining in Syria.” . . .

"I must warn however that at this stage, any exposure of collaboration will be counterproductive. The regime will seem patriotic and we will be [portrayed as] the traitors. We may also lose some of the Arab states that currently support us.”

Known perpetrators of grave violations against children include the Syrian Armed Forces; Syrian intelligence forces, such as the Syrian Military Intelligence, Air Force Intelligence, the National Security Bureau, the Political Security Directorate and the General Intelligence Directorate;Government-associated militias such as the Shabiha; the popular committees (later formalized under the National Defence Forces); Syrian Kurdish armed groups; FSA-affiliated groups; Jabhat al-Nusra; Ahrar al-Sham; ISIS; and other independentor unidentified armed groups.

14. Cases of recruitment and use of children by Syrian Kurdish armed groups were
documented in particular towards the end of the reporting period. Reports of boys and girls aged 14 to 17 years associated with Syrian Kurdish armed groups in Al Hassakeh governorate in support and combat functions were documented and
verified. Children have mostly been used to man checkpoints and transfer information and military supplies, but they have also been trained to participate in combat. A 17-year-old boy stated that he had joined Syrian Kurdish armed groups in July 2012 to protect his neighbourhood in the border town of Al Qamashli (Al Hassakeh governorate). He claimed that he had received training and later had participated in military operations and guarded checkpoints. Allegations were also received of children associated with Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS, but no cases could be verified at the time of writing the present report.

15. Of particular concern were cases of recruitment or attempted recruitment of children within refugee populations in neighbouring countries. The majority of incidents were related to recruitment by FSA-affiliated groups or Syrian Kurdish
armed groups. The lack of education or job opportunities and peer pressure were identified as key factors leading to the recruitment of refugee children.

16. The United Nations did not receive reports of children having been formally recruited by Government forces. However, Government forces, including the Shabiha militia and the popular committees/National Defence Forces, reportedly intimidated and seized young males, including those under the age of 18, to join their ranks at checkpoints and during raids in pro-Government and contested areas. In one instance in July 2012, a man reported to the United Nations that the Syrian Armed Forces had tried to recruit his 16-year-old son while they were passing a checkpoint in Deir ez-Zor governorate.

29. Armed opposition groups also engaged in the summary execution of children. Lack of access, including for security reasons, has prevented the United Nations from systematic documentation. Trends are believed to be much higher than the number of recorded cases. For instance, in 2011 in Damascus governorate, FSA elements reportedly killed a 16-year-old boy, who had allegedly been coerced to work with the Government when his father was detained by Government forces. The
United Nations also received reports of children killed by Jabhat al-Nusra, including, a 16-year-old boy who was shot dead in April 2013 in Al Hassakeh governorate. Also in Al Hassakeh governorate, a 14-year-old boy was reportedly shot dead by elements of Syrian Kurdish armed groups associated with PYD during a demonstration of another Kurdish faction.