Bloody Fighting between Opposition Factions in N.Syria in Struggle for Power, Influence

Disputes have erupted between rival factions over a struggle for power and influence. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Disputes have erupted between rival factions over a struggle for power and influence. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Bloody Fighting between Opposition Factions in N.Syria in Struggle for Power, Influence

Disputes have erupted between rival factions over a struggle for power and influence. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Disputes have erupted between rival factions over a struggle for power and influence. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Internal fighting continued between different factions of the Syrian National Army, supported by Ankara, in the areas of Turkish military operations in northern Syria.

Disputes have erupted over a struggle for power and influence, and for material gains that are reaped from ports and smuggling crossings.

Activists in the countryside of Aleppo said a member was killed on Thursday in an armed clash between two groups of the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, affiliated with the Syrian National Army, in the city center of Jindires in the countryside of Afrin, northern Aleppo. The dispute resulted in the serious injury of other militants.

On April 18, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said violent clashes, using with medium and light machine guns, erupted between two groups of the Syrian Front faction, which is affiliated with the Syrian National Army, near Al-Qabban roundabout in the center of Afrin city.

The dispute developed into violent clashes between the two parties, without reports on human casualties.

Husam al-Shihabi, a resident of the city of al-Bab in the countryside of Aleppo, said violent clashes erupted on April 2, between the Ahrar al-Sham and Al-Jabha al-Shamiya factions, near the city, located within the Euphrates Shield area.

The dispute erupted when a leader in Ahrar al-Sham refused to give up his position in the Third Legion, which is affiliated with the National Army.

The clashes led to the killing and wounding of four members of the factions, and the blocking of the roads leading to al-Bab, prompting the residents to stage a mass demonstration in the city, calling on the factions to stop the fighting and observe the sanctity of the month of Ramadan.

“About 17 members have been killed and more than 30 others wounded, since the beginning of 2022, in bloody clashes between the factions affiliated with the Syrian National Army, in the areas of the northern countryside of Aleppo (al-Bab, Afrin Jandiris, Azaz and Al-Ra’i), which caused the closure of roads and markets,” Shihabi said.



Mbappé Scores as Madrid Moves Closer to Barcelona in Spanish League

Real Madrid's French forward #09 Kylian Mbappé (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid's Turkish midfielder #15 Arda Guler (L) during the Spanish league football match between Club Deportivo Leganes SAD and Real Madrid CF at the Estadio Municipal Butarque in Leganes on November 24, 2024. (AFP)
Real Madrid's French forward #09 Kylian Mbappé (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid's Turkish midfielder #15 Arda Guler (L) during the Spanish league football match between Club Deportivo Leganes SAD and Real Madrid CF at the Estadio Municipal Butarque in Leganes on November 24, 2024. (AFP)
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Mbappé Scores as Madrid Moves Closer to Barcelona in Spanish League

Real Madrid's French forward #09 Kylian Mbappé (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid's Turkish midfielder #15 Arda Guler (L) during the Spanish league football match between Club Deportivo Leganes SAD and Real Madrid CF at the Estadio Municipal Butarque in Leganes on November 24, 2024. (AFP)
Real Madrid's French forward #09 Kylian Mbappé (R) celebrates scoring the opening goal with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #07 Vinícius Júnior and Real Madrid's Turkish midfielder #15 Arda Guler (L) during the Spanish league football match between Club Deportivo Leganes SAD and Real Madrid CF at the Estadio Municipal Butarque in Leganes on November 24, 2024. (AFP)

Kylian Mbappé scored and Real Madrid moved within four points of Spanish league leader Barcelona with a 3-0 win at Leganes on Sunday ahead of its eagerly awaited Champions League match against Liverpool.

Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham also scored to close the gap on Barcelona, which conceded two late goals in a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo on Saturday.

Madrid has played one game less than Barcelona after its match at Valencia was postponed because of the deadly floods in October.

Madrid will make the trip to England to face Premier League leader Liverpool on Wednesday in the Champions League, and is hoping to recover from a demoralizing 3-1 home loss against AC Milan in the previous round of matches.

Madrid's attack worked well against Leganes with Vinícius Júnior playing inside and Mbappé more on the flank. The France striker scored after going four straight games without finding the net for the Spanish powerhouse.

“We switched their positions and the team was able to stay in control during the whole match,” Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said.

Mbappé said he is fine playing wherever Ancelotti puts him.

“I've said it on the first day that I can play in several different positions,” Mbappé said. “All I want is to keep playing well and scoring goals.”

Athletic wins Basque derby

Oihan Sancet scored a 26th-minute winner as Athletic Bilbao defeated Real Sociedad 1-0 in the Basque Country derby.

It was Athletic's fourth straight home win against Sociedad in the derby.

The victory moved Athletic to fifth place and left Sociedad in 10th position.

Villarreal recovers late

Fourth-place Villarreal scored an equalizer in stoppage time to salvage a 2-2 draw at sixth-place Osasuna.

Ante Budimir scored twice in the first 20 minutes for Osasuna. Villarreal, which was coming off three straight victories in all competitions, scored through Álex Baena in the 67th and a penalty kick converted by Gerard Moreno three minutes into injury time.

Osasuna, sitting three points behind Villarreal, was coming off a 4-0 loss at Madrid.

Also Sunday, Sevilla ended a two-game losing streak in the league with a 1-0 win against Rayo Vallecano, which played the entire second half with 10 men after Unai López was sent off for a hard foul.

Djibril Sow scored Sevilla's goal in the 27th.