The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a priest who had tried to negotiate prisoner releases with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was killed after being detained in an ISIL prison for over two weeks. ISIL fighters took over the Raqqah city base of the Qatar-backed Ahfad al-Rasool brigade after a week of clashes. ISIL fighters along with rebels from several battalions took over the Hamdiyah military center in Idlib. ISIL and Al Nusrah Front fighters in Hasakah launched rockets at Ras al-Ain, which is currently held by Kurdish forces. The Kurdish YPG clashed with ISIL and allies in several Hasakah villages. ISIL and Al Nusrah Front fighters attacked Kurdish villages and forces in and around Aleppo. Syria’s information minister said the government was willing to go to a Geneva peace conference to resolve the crisis politically but that any solution must be approved by President Assad. Russia said the proposed peace conference probably could not take place until October.
