Former hostage says” FSA” is on brink of break-up

The Western-backed “Free Syrian Army” is tittering on the brink of collapse, says Pierre Piccinin, who has only recently been saved from rebel kidnappers after he was abducted in April together with La Stampa’s journalist Domenico Quirico,according to Voice of Russia.

Piccinin said in an interview with La Libre Belgique that the Army’s militant groups are now breaking apart, with some insurgents going back home, some joining the radical al-Nusra Front, and yet others staying. But those who choose to fight on, he added, are .

The former hostage, who went through hell over the past five months and even faced two mock executions, stressed that the Syrian army had never gassed civilians.

After their release on Sunday, Belgian teacher Pierre Piccinin and Italian journalist Domenico Quirico were flown to Rome, where they were met by Italy’s foreign minister. Rumour has it they were freed in exchange for a ransom, though officials have denied this allegation.

The Belgian national has already been kidnapped in Syria before. In May 2012, terrorists in Syria held Piccinin hostage for six days, but eventually set him free when they felt there was no money in it.

R.S