TODAY’S MESOP SYRIA INSIGHT REPORT

Turkey has closed a bordercrossing due to clashes in the Syrian town of Azaz, near the Turkish border. Fighting was reported between Free Syrian Army forces and fighters from the al Qaeda linked Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham(ISIS) in one of the most severe clashes between opposition factions. The ISIS has reportedly taken controlof the town, and fighting died down as of Thursday morning.

Additionally, a roadside bomb reportedly exploded in Homs province hitting a minibus killing up to 19 people. Meanwhile, in an interview with Fox News, Syrian President Bashar al-Assadsaid he is committed to a plan to destroy Syria’s chemical weapons arsenal. He warned, though, that it would take a year or more, and could cost up to a billion dollars. Additionally, Assad condemned the use of chemical weapons in an attack outside Damascus on August 21 and denied the government was responsible for the attack. He continued, “We have evidence that terrorist groups used sarin gas.” Syria has reportedly given this evidence to Russia, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he will discuss it with the U.N. Security Council.