Isis fighters 'know where to hide' from attack from the air and only 'boots on the ground' will defeat the insurgents, they say

Syrian rebel fighters and residents of northern Syria have expressed reservations about Barack Obama's military strategy to confront Islamic militants, saying US air strikes would have little military effect, would kill civilians and might even encourage sympathy for the insurgents.

Jaber Abdulkarim, 36, an opposition fighter from the province of Idlib who briefly came to Turkey to visit his family, voiced his doubts about the strategy Obama unveiled on Wednesday and said air strikes would not be able to defeat the Islamic State movement known as Isis: "They know where to hide in the case of attacks from the air," he said. He added that government forces had been bombing rebel positions for months. "We know shelters and caves, and so do the Isis fighters. If they want to deliver a serious blow to them, they need to put boots on the ground. Nothing else will bring success."

He added that fighters of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is opposed to the Damascus regime and the Isis fighters, had "more experience" after more than three years of conflict, but were in dire need of outside support. "We are tired and running out of provisions. Some fighters have changed sides and now fight with Isis simply because they are able to provide food, houses for their families and good weapons."

Faisal, 23, a fighter from Latakia province, said: "Morale is low. Nobody really stands behind us, we lack unity and cooperation amongst opposition fighters. On top of that, all the so-called FSA commanders are in Turkey, sitting in their camp. We lack leaders to guide us."

He underlined that, in his view, few rebels fighting in Syria recognised the Syrian National Coalition, which has welcomed Barack Obama's decision to bomb Islamic State insurgents inside their country. "They sit in their fancy hotels, in safety, talking and talking. With the money they spend in one week we could feed many fighters for a whole month. What do they know about the reality in Syria?"

The Syrian National Coalition previously said that it stood behind the international community's decision to fight Isis militants who have seized control of parts of Syria and Iraq. The coalition also urged the training and arming of the FSA, often referred to as the "mainstream opposition" and said that the removal of Bashar al-Assad's government was still the main objective of those fighting in Syria.

A 30-year-old FSA fighter from Idlib who did not want to give his name, agreed: "I don't really understand this sudden fuss about Isis. They killed people, but Bashar has been killing for the last three years. But nobody seems to be interested in that anymore."

Mohammed Al Bakhour, 31, a senior commander of an Aleppo-based FSA battalion who came to Turkey for his wedding this week, said that a loose coalition of armed opposition groups has been fighting against Isis in his area for over a year: "We have become quite good at that, but we need help. Instead of bombing Isis from the air, we need support inside Syria to fight. It's the only way." He added that the main objective should be the removal of the Damascus government: "Once Assad is gone, we'll deal with Isis ourselves."

Al Bakhour was worried that concerted air strikes targeting Isis would alienate opposition fighters. "Many of my men told me that they would change sides and join Isis should the US start bombing them instead of ousting Assad", he said. "They feel betrayed and disillusioned."

One opposition activist from Deir ez-Zor said that he did not want "foreign powers" to attack his country: "We have seen what the Americans did in Iraq, what happened in Afghanistan, in Somalia, in Yemen. Air strikes like these will kill a lot of civilians, innocent people." His family members all live in Deir ez-Zor, an oil-rich town close to the Iraqi border and currently under the control of Isis. "I find it inconceivable that they should do this without being invited to do so by the Syrian people."

Basil, 38, a shop owner from Raqqa, the self-declared capital of the Islamic State, also voiced vehement disapproval of the planned US-led operation: "Isis is in Raqqa, a big city full of people. How can they bomb them there?" He came to Turkey to look for a flat for his family in Gaziantep and said he was not involved in any political activities: "We have seen so much violence over the past years. We are tired. How will even more violence and even more death bring a solution?"