A Turkish journalist working in the area near the border with Syria has been sending me reports about some unreported activities by the Free Syrian Army. He writes:
"Just two days before the "food crise" in Aleppo, I hear many of my friends from Hatay that they started to see some Syrians are selling the bread in the city. Turkish breads are not same those in Syria even in Hatay. And I have to give you a name. Abdulqader As Salah a commander of Tawheed Brigades who has very close ties with Turkish intelligence. He is now selling "wheat" in Gaziantep province of Turkey. I am a Turkish journalist at the very beginning of this crisis I hear same thing from the Kurds in Ceylanpinar (a border town near Ras Al Ayn) The Kurds who escaped from the battle between FSA and Kurdish militias told me that they saw some FSA members looting the wheat silos. But I did not aware unless I started to see these news. Perhaps thats why people of Aleppo are now protesting FSA as "Army of Harami (Thieves)". Now I am trying to understand whats going on and why people in Hatay started to see Syrian breads in Hatay. When I cover it I will send you too. In Hatay people are very much looking with Syrians, and get used to Syrian culture... I saw some photos in Reuters that shows FSA members on the wheat silos in Aleppo. But as usual their describtion "Forces loyal to Assad bombs the silos and FSA members" sth like this. I may send you the photo. I first hear the rumors about it in Ceylanpinar/Sanliurfa. Kurds told me that... But I did not pay attention unfortunately. Then I saw this photo.Then I see the news about the famine in Syria. Now I am checking it. And one of my journalist friend informed me about the "Abdulqader As Salah" I didn't check him completely but it is said that he is the leader of Tawheed brigade and lives in Gaziantep and now selling wheat and second hand cars. Tawheed is one of the most close group to Turkish intelligence. Everyone knows it. I am now working on it, when I finished I will send you a copy...Yes for sure... FSA militiants are stealing wheat from Syria and bringing them to Turkey to sell. They even stole oil excavators from Syria and brought them Turkey.... Yes for sure... FSA militiants are stealing wheat from Syria and bringing them to Turkey to sell. They even stole oil excavators from Syria and brought them Turkey.... I checked the resources and talked with many people both in Hatay and Sanliurfa province. They told me that the some of FSA members (who are speaking Syrian Arabic) are now selling spares for cars and in Gaziantep they have a store for grain. One of my reliable friend has told me that this begun in September... An pro-Assad journalist in Hatay told me that everything was in accordance with Turkish authorities. The rebels are bringing wheat, car and even furnitures from Syria via Bab Al Hava border-crossing which is the other side of Hatay-Cilvegozu gate... The FSA militants took control of this border crossing since June.
They also loot the Kurdish villages when they attack from Turkish side like what they did in Ras Al Ayn... That's why Kurds never want them in their areas."
