Could ISIS now be twice as powerful? ISIS merging with Al Queda?

The number of Islamist extremists fighting for ISIS could double after al-Qaeda's 15,000 strong offshoot in Syria is said to have pledged allegiance to the militant group.

The merger is believed to have taken place in Albu Kamel - on the border of Syria and Iraq, where all of the crossings are currently in the hands of Sunni militia, many of them members of ISIS.

In April the al-Nusra Front pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who has previously condemned ISIS' brutal attempts to establish an Islamic state in the Middle East as too extreme, so the development points to a new split within al-Qaeda's ranks.

Could ISIS now be twice as powerful? Membership of extreme group may double in size as it merges with al Qaeda's 15,000-strong Syrian

Al-Queda is joining ISIS now? Is Iraq going to fall completely? What is going to happen to Syria? Could we now see an intervention from the Iranis, or the Russians, or the Chinese?

a reply to: an0nThinker

They were merged with Al Qaeda once upon a time but AQ ditched cuz ISIS was too extreme for them.

But I guess they can make up & get back together.

No!



Tell me it ain't so!

Now remember kids check under the bed at night for ISIS. sleep tight

a reply to: an0nThinker

Although the issues in the Middle East are complex, it appears their agenda is all the same, despite their factionalism, it appears they are all basically singing from the same song sheet and are all too ready to 'activate' their extremism to merge for their cause.

Which is more than an annoyance to the West as there are many of them that have secreted themselves in our societies, hiding their agenda.

Our governments erred in allowing them in our lands where their views are obviously contrary to ours, now they must act to ensure they aren't manipulating chinks in the armour and behaving like woodworm, weakening our culture, taking advantage of our kindness, creating divided opinions and communities, and breaking down any resistance to their attempted infiltration.

We have a long standing culture of progressive ideology, humanity and equal rights for all, it has to stay that way and our governments have to bring us together in our cohesive good ideology instead of widening the cracks and making people divided.

Remember the adage 'divide and conquer' and forever be aware and wary of those of a divisive agenda.

Im confused...
Have been since the Reagan years...are these guys "freedom fighters" or "terrorists"?

Or just an excuse to raise oil prices and watch defense contractors stock soar...

a reply to: an0nThinker

You're kind of getting all confused.

AQ isn't joining with ISIS. Al Nusra is, who had previously pledged their loyalty to AQ but now (either through fear or admiration) have joined in with ISIS.

a reply to: stumason

then who the hell are these guys??

Iraqi's Shia Mahdi army

Muqtada al-Sadr



Shia Militias On The Battlefield In Syria Syrian Civil War

?????



Iraq crisis Shia militia show of FORCE

Thousands of Shia militia loyal to the powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr ,,

??

a reply to: BobAthome

What's your point?

The Mehdi Army, as you pointed out, are Shia. What have they got to do with ISIS, Al Nusra or Al Qaeda?

Not to mention it's some random, unverified video of some fighting, somewhere.

EDIT: Actually given the uniforms of the men in fatigues, I would actually put money on them being Hezbollah, not the Mehdi Army. I am certain of it, in fact.

a reply to: stumason

So Al Nusra was a part of AQ but now is a part of ISIS?

a reply to: an0nThinker

Al Nusra pledged loyalty to AQ and openly started fighting ISIS last year. ISIS has been fighting everyone in the Syrian war and been holding their own quite well. Now, it seems, Al Nusra has thrown it's lot in with ISIS, probably because it is better to be in league with them, than against them.

AQ is a bit of a brand name and nothing more, so I doubt they'd get much support from them anyway while ISIS is sitting on $2 Billion, has access to plenty of weapons, has rich Saudi backers and now controls a huge swathe of territory. Makes sense to defect and go with the "winning" side.

a reply to: stumason

not the Mehdi Army,,, well i do believe we will find out

Just ask this guy Muqtada al-Sadr

a reply to: stumason

So i take it u missed the "got your piece of paper,,showing your Alligience" portion of the new,,huge swathe of territory?
Cause if u dont have your papers well,,,

a reply to: BobAthome

I really am struggling to understand what the hell you think you're trying to prove? I think you're confused.

Like I said, the guys in fatigues, with body armour and helmets look exactly like Hezbollah fighters (or Syrian Government forces) who are also Shia and are fighting for the Syrian Government.

The Mehdi Army has always restricted it's activities to Central and Southern Iraq. There have been no reports at all of them fighting in Syria and they only recently mobilised their strength with the ISIS campaign in Iraq.

originally posted by: BobAthome
a reply to: stumason

So i take it u missed the "got your piece of paper,,showing your Alligience" portion of the new,,huge swathe of territory?
Cause if u dont have your papers well,,,

Er, what?

Who do you think ISIS are?

Who do you think the Mehdi Army are?

a reply to: stumason

only recently mobilised their strength so they are active then? thats a confirmation?

a reply to: BobAthome

They are now ISIS is banging on the door of Baghdad with their Takfiri campaign to kill all Shia as heretics - prior to this ISIS nonsense they generally kept themselves confined to Shia suburbs of Baghdad and, to a lesser extent, Basra. In fact, they've been very quiet since the end of the last decade after they stopped fighting British and American troops.

Ah lets give them money then...

rt.com...
The White House on Thursday asked Congress for half-a-billion dollars in aid to go towards opposition fighters in Syria at war with the regime of recently re-elected President Bashar Al-Assad.

The Associated Press reported that the multimillion dollar request makes up just a fraction of a larger, $65.8 billion overseas operations request sent to Congress that, if approved, would fund a number of Pentagon and State Department programs, as well as $1 billion in assistance to nations adjacent to Syria.

lol, what the hell, about 70 billion in funding for those terrorists??

a reply to: BobAthome

Anyhow, you're avoiding my questions and are, for all intents and purposes, simply babbling nonsense.

Have you got yourself confused over who the Mehdi Army are? As they have nothing to with ISIS, Al Nusra or AQ - they are, in fact, closely alligned with Iran and the Quds force headed by General Qassem Suleimani of the IRG

a reply to: Plugin

"half-a-billion ,,,,thats a lot of activation,,,

yeah a coinky dink,, i guess.