More Details about the arrest of Ahmad al-Neamah, the military chief of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in Daraa, by al-Nusra militant group are revealed as the tension among the different militant groups rises

Nidal Hamadeh

Translated by Mohamed Salami

Al-Neamah's guard dialed his relatives at the moment of the ambush, something that revealed the circumstances of the arrest...
More Details about al-Nusra militant group's arrest of Ahmad al-Neamah, the military chief of the Free Syrian Army (FSA)  in Daraa, are revealed as the tension among the different militant groups rises in the region which is well-known for its tribal knit.

This tension threatens of a tribal clash, especially that the disputing members of Nusra and FSA belong to the local clans.

This fear of a tribal clash pushed the social figures in Hauran to communicate with al-Nusra in order to end the cause of Neamah's arrest, but to no vail so far.

Well-informed sources mentioned that a dissident officer (belongs to 'Hariri' family) is communicating with al-Nusra group to end the cause and that al-Nusra rejected to show whether al-Neamah and his companions are still alive.

The same sources added that the mediator asked al-Nusra group to release a video or a photo to show that al-Neamah and his companions are still alive and that the group rejected the demand.

The sources also pointed out that a Syrian businessman offered al-Nusra to pay a ransom in exchange for  al-Neamah and that the group also refused.

The sources noted that al-Neamah was arrested in al-Qarya and that he was hit after the arrest which followed a clash between the two parties.

The sources disclosed that al-Neamah's companions were Ahmad al-Masalma and Ahmad al-Hariri who dialed one of his relatives, letting him to hear the screams al-Neamah who was being hit as one of al-Nusra members was killed during the clash.

According to the sources, Qatar has played a central role in arresting al-Neamah because he is a pro-Saudi militant commander.

The sources added that al-Neamah has worked with the Saudi intelligence and quoted Nusra group as telling the mediators that al-Neamah has been coordinating with ISIL groups in the area.

The sources pointed out that al-Neamah is the victim of the Saudi-Qatari conflict which has moved to Hawran, where Muslim Brotherhood and al-Nusra group are well-operating.

The sources noted that Jordan may have changed its policy in southern Syria, what pushed it to refrain from participating in ending al-Neamah's cause.

Al-Nusra Front had already issued a statement in which it said that it kept Moussa al-Masalma because of his responsibility for killing one of its militants during al-Neamah's arrest and warned all FSA brigades against assaulting it.

For their part, 60 FSA battalions and brigades issued a statement in which it stressed the following points:
1. Halting military cooperation with al-Nusra Front till it releases al-Neamah and his companions.
2. Resorting to the judicial body in Hauran to end the conflicts among all the FSA brigades.
3. Laying the responsibility of the detainees' safety on al-Nusra Front and disclaiming their statements which were snatched under pressure.

Signers:
1. Southern Syria Rebels Front
2. Syria Rebels Front
3. Yarmouk Squad
4. Hamzah Band
5. March 18 Band
6. Commandos First Band
7. Infantry Division 24
8. Fallujah-Hauran Brigade
9. Moatasem Billah Brigade
10. Hauran Pillar Brigade
11. Sunnite Youth Brigade
12. Armor of Sunnite Lions Brigade
13. Immigrants and Supporters Brigade
14.  Freedom Martyrs Brigade
15. Martyr Mansour al-Hariri Brigade
16. Hauran Bridge Brigade
17 - United Horan Battalions Brigade
18 - Blessed Rahman (Merciful) Brigade
19 - Balance Brigade
20 - Hauran Hawks Brigade
21 - Salahuddin Brigade
22 - Cavalry First Regiment
23 - Cavalry Second Regiment
24 - Two Holy Mosques Brigade
25 - Moataz Bellah Brigade
26 - Homs al-Waleed Brigade
27 - Dawn of Islam Brigade
28 - Hauran Strangers Brigade
29 - Algedor Brigade
30 - Ababil Hauran Brigade
31 - Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade
32 - Dignity Brigade
33 - Special Tasks Brigade
34 - Arabism Brigade
35 - Free Nawah Brigade
36 - Osama bin Zaid Brigade
37 - Hauran Storm Brigade
38 - Martyr Raed al-Masri Brigade
39 - Artillery Regiment
40 - Horan Badr (Moon) Brigade
41 - Ezz Bin Abdulsalam Brigade
42 - Islam Lions Brigade
43 - Eagles of Western Countryside Brigade
44 - Beloved Mohammed Brigade
45 - Storm of South Brigade
46 - The Patient Brigade
47 - Omar Mukhtar Brigade
48 - Lajat Armor Brigade
49 - Right Brigade
50 - Medina El Monawara Brigade
51 - Levant Liberation Band
52 - Damascus Martyrs Brigade
53 - Nation's Armor Brigade
54 - Saifullah Maslool Brigade
55 - Right Knights Brigade
56 - Ghabagheb Martyrs Brigade
58 - Free Yarmouk Brigade
59 - Abbas Brigade
60 - All Factions Operating in the Southern Front

Free Syrian Army
Southern Front