Will Syrian al-Qaeda punish Druze massacre perpetrators?

(The Christian Science Monitor) Syria’s al-Qaeda affiliate is seeking to distance itself from the killings of 20 Druze villagers last week and allay fears in the minority community.

At stake is the painstakingly crafted image of Jabhat al-Nusra, or Nusra Front, as a more moderate alternative to the self-declared Islamic State, one that can coexist with other anti-regime groups that do not share its beliefs or hard-line ideology.

“Everyone involved in this incident will be presented to a Shari‘a court and held to account for blood proven to have been spilt,” Jabhat al-Nusra said in a statement circulated on Twitter. “The people of the village are still safe and under our protection in areas we control.”