America's favorite 'moderate' Syrian group disbands
A group of Syrian rebels supported by US politicians for their “moderate” position, and who received US military equipment, has disbanded after heavy losses, Sputnik reported.
The Hazm movement had received anti-tank missiles and training from the US and was frequently pointed to as an example of the “moderate” opposition to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad the United States could safely support.
The group suffered heavy losses after some fierce fighting against the al-Nusra Front (JAN), an Islamist rebel group on the US terror list and linked to Al-Qaeda. Though the al-Nusra Front is Islamist, it has generally been seen as less extremist than, and more of a rival to, the Islamic State.
Hazm — whose name means “determination” — was the principal, but not the only Syrian opposition group the US was supporting. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is made up of various elements, and one group within it — Fursan al-Haq — is still receiving support from the US.