Although it is difficult to confirm the political affiliation of those involved, an eyewitness told Time that the executioners belonged to ISIS - an Al-Qaeda faction opposed to President Bashar Assad's regime.
The captives, meanwhile, are understood to belong to the fearsome Shabiha ('ghosts') - thugs loyal to Assad who are said to roam the country massacring women and children.
| Civil wars are nasty. Always. It's not surprising that the al-Q factions are beheading people, but anyone who thinks that this is particularly bloodthirsty could check out the Spanish civil war, or Biafra, or Rwanda, etc... |
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