U.S. Syria strategy falters with collapse of rebel group

People bury the bodies of eight Hazzm brigade fighters, who were killed during clashes with al Qaeda's official Syria wing Nusra Front fighters in Reef al-Mohandeseen al-Thani and the Mashtal area, in Al-atarib Aleppo countryside February 28, 2015. REUTERS/Abdalghne Karoof

ISTANBUL/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Hazzm movement was once central to a covert CIA operation to arm Syrian rebels, but the group's collapse last week underlines the failure of efforts to unify Arab and Western support for mainstream insurgents fighting the Syrian military.

A blow to U.S. moves to aid rebels, the dissolution of Hazzm also highlights the risks that a new Department of Defense programme could face in training and equipping fighters in Jordan, Turkey and Qatar.