In News: ‘Moderate Rebel Group’ Faction Attacks Syrian Army Base

A Syrian insurgent group is claiming to have attacked a major army base in the south of the country.

Syrian insurgent groups attacked a major Syrian army base in the south of the country on Tuesday, according to the rebels.

They groups were seeking to increase pressure on President Bashar al-Assad, after his recent losses elsewhere in the country.

It (the base) is very important because it is the second biggest base the regime has (in the south).
— Saber Safar, Former Colonel, Syrian Army and Leader, “First Army” Insurgent Alliance

Syrian state TV said the army had repelled an attempt by “a terrorist group” to infiltrate a military position in the area, north-east of the city of Deraa in the border region near Jordan.

What is the First Army Insurgent Alliance?

The First Army Insurgent alliance is essentially a group of three factions of the Free Syrian Army, which was a collection of several rebel groups.

These groups in Free Syrian Army, which stands disbanded as of March 2015, were supported by civilians in the Syrian city of Al-Bab, and were pushed out of their houses when ISIS (then known as ISIL) took over the city.

Al-Bad, once a major producer of cotton textile, turned into an ISIS training and recruiting base.

The Free Syrian Army is called a ‘moderate rebel group’ by the international media for being a less armed opponent to ISIS.