Rebel infighting erupts in Daraa, senior Free Syrian Army commander shot dead

two factions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) began clashing with one another in the western countryside of Daraa following disputes over joint checkpoints and sharing of ammunition.

The two FSA factions, known as Al-Moetaz Billah and Abu Mousa Tarshan, opened fire against each other in the town of Al-Yadoudeh, inflicting a number of casualties in the process.

Among the dead were Malek Hassan Masalmeh, an FSA commander who helped draw up plans to capture the Al-Manshiyah district amid battles with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) in the provincial capital as part of the “Death over Humiliation” offensive.

Notably, the insurgent infighting threatens to tear apart the Southern Front coalition that unites over 50 minor FSA groups across Daraa province.

Even though the SAA proved unable to kill Malek Hassan Masalmeh on its own, some government soldiers celebrated the news of the FSA commander’s untimely death by firing bursts of bullets into the air over Daraa city on Thursday evening.

Rival rebel groups are also clashing with one another in rural Damascus, resulting in the death of some 130 fighters in less than a week.