Militant rise galvanizes Assad’s camp in Syria war

Militant rise galvanizes Assad’s camp in Syria war

DAMACUS, Syria (AP) — Ahmed Luay’s second-eldest son, a soldier in the Syrian army, fell in battle with rebels just over a month ago. Three more of his sons are still on the front lines in the Damascus suburbs. Luay insists he’s prepared to sacrifice them all in what he says is a war against a terrorist invasion. For Luay and other staunch supporters of President Bashar Assad, the rise of Islamic militants among Syria’s rebels has crystalized a black-and-white vision of the bloody three-year conflict. The rebellion, they argue, has nothing to do with seeking democracy: It is a campaign by al-Qaida-linked fighters to impose an intolerant rule by strict Islamic law.