Well-armed jihadists raise fears of new war in Syria

Victory in Syria's civil war is still up for grabs, but some rebel commanders fear that even if they do oust President Bashar Assad they will then have to take on Islamists they accuse of seeking to hijack their democratic revolution.

Leaders of the rebel Free Syrian Army in the eastern oil hub of Deir Ezzor are in a quandary, because Islamist fighters are well financed, well armed and disciplined, and their contribution to the cause is indisputable.

But the International Crisis Group has said that for Al-Nusra, overthrowing Assad represents "only half the battle; success would come only once the entire regime was replaced with an Islamic state following Salafi principles."

The objectives of Islamists were abundantly clear on Monday, when jihadists of the Hamza unit in Deir Ezzor paraded through the streets to celebrate their upgrade to brigade from battalion.

Whether any of the aid will make a difference in Deir Ezzor is still to be seen, but one thing seems certain: FSA commanders are very much concerned by the scale of death and destruction, and they are also nervous about the beards.