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Jane's: Half of Syrian Rebel Fighters Are Jihadists or Islamists
(Telegraph-UK) Ben Farmer and Ruth Sherlock - Nearly half of the rebel fighters in Syria are now aligned with jihadist or hardline Islamist groups, according to a new study by IHS Jane's. Opposition forces now number around 100,000, with 10,000 jihadists - who include foreign fighters - as well as 30,000 to 35,000 who are hardline Islamists. Islamists share much of the outlook of the jihadists, but are focused purely on the Syrian war rather than a wider international struggle. There are also a further 30,000 fighters belonging to groups that have an Islamic character. Thus, only a small minority of opposition forces are considered "palatable" by the West.