... the current version of al-Qaeda in Iraq, just as blood-thirsty and well-beloved as the original...
in the east of the war-ravaged country.
The Free Syrian Army
... the more palatable version of the Syrian insurgency, heavily influenced by the Moslem Brüderbund...
's appeal came a day after ISIL spearheaded a jihadist Sunni offensive in neighboring Iraq that claimed the country's second-biggest city djinn-infested Mosul
... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn...
and a swathe of other northern territory.
"The Supreme Military Council calls on all friendly and brotherly Arab nations, particularly Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
, Turkey, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan, to give aid to the brigades on the ground in Deir Ezzor province so they can confront the terrorist ISIL organization," the FSA said in a statement.
ISIL, which emerged in the Syrian conflict in 2013, grew from al-Qaeda's Iraq affiliate, though it has since split with the global terror network and faced criticism from its head Ayman al-
Zawahiri... Formerly second in command of al-Qaeda, now the head cheese, occasionally described as
the real brains of the outfit.Formerly the Mister Big of Egyptian Islamic Jihad. Bumped off Abdullah Azzam with a car boom in the course of one of their little disputes. Is thought to have composed bin Laden's fatwa entitled World Islamic Front Against Jews and Crusaders. Currently residing in the North Wazoo area. That is not a horn growing from the middle of his forehead, but a prayer bump, attesting to how devout he is...
It aims to establish an Islamic state straddling Syria and Iraq, but has faced a major backlash from rebels and al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, Al-Nusra Front.
The backlash has all but forced the group from Idlib and Aleppo province, but it has entrenched itself in Raqa and the eastern province of Deir Ezzor -- the scene of fierce festivities in recent weeks.
The fighting in the oil-rich province has killed more than 630 people in just 40 days and displaced more than 130,000 civilians, says the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
ISIL was initially welcomed by some in the armed opposition when it entered the conflict but its quest for hegemony and systematic abuses against civilians and rival rebels have sparked anger.
Moderate and Salafist tough guys and Al-Nusra Front have been battling ISIL since early January, in fighting that has killed more than 6,000 people