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Deep Inside the Battle for Syria's Most Important City

October 1, 2014

The city of Aleppo is a key battleground in the war for Syria. Forces from Bashar al-Assad's regime, ISIL, and the Islamic Front have all contested Aleppo.

Vice News was able to spend two weeks with fighters from the Islamic Front to get an in depth view of how fighting in the city is going.

The hour-long report shows Vice News reporter Aris Roussinos walking the front lines of the fight, dodging gunfire, interviewing Islamic Front leaders, witnessing medical care for gun shot victims, and touring the wreckage of the bombed-out city.

Islamic Front fighters have complained that the international community has not supported them in their fight. Several fighters in the video said that the group is moderate. However, the United States has pressured the group's supporters to cut off supplies because of their extremist views.

In fact, Roussinos explores Sharia courts set up by the Islamic Front which bear a striking resemblance to those set up by ISIL. The judges he interviews say that the group's goal is to set up an islamic state. They plan to enforce Sharia law across Syria if they are victorious.

As civilians stuck in the middle of the fighting suffer in makeshift hospitals, Islamic Front fighters threaten that if they do not receive aid from the west they will target them if and when they defeat Assad.