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Sometimes the rebels turn on each other and fight. Islamist groups have clashed with the Kurdish militias that control the north-east of the country, where most of Syria’s Kurds live. Syria will be harder to put together again after the war ends.
有時候自由軍內部還發(fā)生交火。伊斯蘭教派與占據國家東北部地區(qū)的庫爾德民兵曾經發(fā)生沖突。東北部正是大部分敘利亞庫爾德人居住的地方。在戰(zhàn)爭過后，敘利亞會變的更難統(tǒng)一。
Mr Assad and his family, conscious of their minority status in a mainly Sunni country and thus determined to keep Syria broadly secular, insist that the rebels are Islamist extremists, as dangerous to the West as they are to the Arab world. In fact, few of the protesters who started the uprising two years ago were very devout. Alawite defectors are still helped to flee the army. The rebels have mostly left Christians alone. Nor have they slaughtered Alawites, despite the massacres carried out by Mr Assad’s thugs against Sunni villages around Homs. Salafism, the strict version of Islam that has gained ground elsewhere in the Arab world, never found fertile ground in Syria.
阿薩德和他的家人意識到他們在這個以遜尼派為主的國家，他們是少數民族。由此，他決定讓敘利亞保持不以宗教治國，堅持稱那些自由軍是伊斯蘭極端分子，對西方國家和阿拉伯世界都一樣危險。事實上，只有少數在兩年前開始起義的抗議者很虔誠。阿拉維地區(qū)的自由軍還幫助軍隊逃兵。大部分的自由軍都孤立基督教徒。盡管阿薩德派出暴徒在霍姆斯附近的遜尼派村莊大肆屠殺，自由軍也不殺害阿拉維人。薩拉維這種極端的伊斯蘭教旨在阿拉伯世界各處生根發(fā)芽，唯獨在敘利亞找不到發(fā)展的土壤。
But this is changing, too. Western intelligence sources say that jihadists are now arriving in Syria by the busload. Jabhat al-Nusra, the most devout Syrian battalion, which shares al-Qaeda’s worldview, is getting stronger. In December an armed group trashed a Shia prayer house in Zarzour, a town in Idleb. Though many Syrians reject the jihadists the war is becoming religious.
但是現(xiàn)在情況也在改變。西方的智庫認為，圣戰(zhàn)分子正在一車一車地被送到敘利亞。Jabhat al-Nusra是最虔誠的敘利亞大軍，擁有與基地組織共通的世界觀。這支軍隊仍在不斷壯大。12月，一組武裝分子毀壞了一座什葉派的祈禱所，祈禱所坐落在Idleb，Zarzour鎮(zhèn)。盡管許多敘利亞人反對圣戰(zhàn)分子，這場戰(zhàn)爭還是變得越來越與宗教相關。
The war has made many Syrians more sectarian in outlook. Alawites have been drafted into the regime’s security forces and militia. “We see that Alawites are stuck,” says Abu Adnan, a rebel fighter in Latakia province, “because Bashar is trying to tie all of their fates to his.”
戰(zhàn)爭讓許多敘利亞的想法更加富有黨派性。阿拉維人被招進政府軍的保安部隊和軍隊。拉塔基亞省的一個自由軍戰(zhàn)士Abu Adnan說：“我們看到阿拉維人面臨困境，因為總統(tǒng)想把政府的命運同阿拉維人綁在一起。”
Both middle-class Syrians and religious minorities are increasingly worried by the way even moderate opposition groups talk of an “Islamic state” to replace Mr Assad’s regime. “We’re bringing back the rule of the Sunnis,” proclaims a fighter in Aleppo’s Tawhid battalion. “We’re the majority, so it’s only fair.” Alawites have reason to be afraid. It is hard to imagine them moving back to mixed cities such as Homs.
即便是自由軍們溫和地談論“伊斯蘭政權”取代阿薩德政權，還是讓敘利亞中產階級以及宗教的少數族裔都越來越擔心。一位駐扎在Aleppo， Tawhid營的戰(zhàn)士宣稱：“我們要讓遜尼派的教規(guī)重新發(fā)揚光大，我們的人占了大多數，所以這是公平的。”阿拉維人有理由害怕，很難想象他們回到各教派混居的霍姆斯城會發(fā)生什么事。
Many Syrians have for years looked to mildly Islamist Turkey as an example. “But they aren’t an Islamic state,” grumbles a rebel fighter. “We want something stronger.”
一直以來許多敘利亞人以溫和的伊斯蘭教國家——土耳其為榜樣。“但是土耳其不是真正的伊斯蘭政權”一位反對派戰(zhàn)士說，“我們期待更加有力的政權。”
Spot the jihadist
遭遇圣戰(zhàn)組織成員
Many Christians are emigrating, having seen what became of their brethren in Iraq and Egypt. Alawites in Damascus say that Maher Assad, the president’s ruthless brother and commander of the Republican Guard that is at the core of the regime, should take over to become their saviour and protector if Bashar is killed.
許多基督教徒在看到教友們在伊拉克和埃及的結局后，紛紛移民。大馬士革的阿拉維人認為，總統(tǒng)的弟弟——冷血無情的共和國衛(wèi)隊長Maher Assad是政權的核心人物，假如巴沙爾被殺，他應該繼位，成為阿拉維人的保護神與救世主。
Beneath it all is the brutalisation of Syrian life. Disputes that have nothing to do with the uprising are being settled with guns. Assassinations and kidnappings have become more frequent. By arming loyalist neighbourhood committees, the regime is dragging more civilians into the war. “I see how my men have become used to killing,” says a rebel commander with Farouq, a large battalion that has brigades spread across the country. “Soon we won’t even realise it is wrong.”
掩蓋其下的，是敘利亞生活的殘酷血腥。同起義沒有任何關系的沖突也靠槍來解決。殺人拐賣都越來越猖獗。政府把越來越多的平民拖進了戰(zhàn)爭。反對派大營隊Farouq（該營的部隊遍布全國）的指揮官說：“我眼看著我的手下們越來越習慣殺戮，用不了多久他們就意識不到殺人是錯的了。”
Thousands of homes, factories, schools and hospitals have been razed. Doctors, teachers and engineers have fled. Many Syrians worry that the war will finish only when no one is left to fight. “I just want it to end so I can get married and get on with my life,” sighs the rebel commander. “I am worried that when this is done there won’t be a country left.”
無數的民房、工廠、學校、醫(yī)院都被夷為平地。醫(yī)生、教師還有工程師都逃往國外了。許多敘利亞人擔心，戰(zhàn)爭永遠不會結束，直到無人可戰(zhàn)。“我真希望戰(zhàn)爭快點結束，我就能結婚，繼續(xù)正常的生活。”這位反對派的指揮官嘆息道。“我擔心等到那一天，敘利亞這個國家已經不復存在。”
