The US had spent over a year training a specialist group of Syrian rebels to fight against ISIS on the ground . The group , called Division 30 , was finally put to work last month . No sooner than it had started its mission than a local al - Qaeda affiliate , the al - Nusra Front , kidnapped seven of its members , including the commanding officer . The Nusra Front launched a campaign of kidnappings and attacks against Division 30 shortly after the arrival of the first contingent of 50 to 60 US-trained fighters from Turkey, accusing the group of seeking to spread American influence. The members of the division have now decided that they will not fight against al - Nusra and that they are against US attacking al - Qaida groups in Syria .
The US had spent over a year training a specialist group of Syrian rebels to fight against ISIS on the ground . The group , called Division 30 , was finally put to work last month . No sooner than it had started its mission than a local al - Qaeda affiliate , the al - Nusra Front , kidnapped seven of its members , including the commanding officer . The members of the division have now decided that they will not fight against al - Nusra and that they are against US attacking al - Qaida groups in Syria .