translated we are all martyrs in the marking, to keep our country safe. Narrator two countrymen, now enemies, in a conflict increasingly driven by hatred. explosion narrator with unprecedented access to both sides, frontline journeys deep inside syria to reveal a war that is reshaping the middle east, in syria behind the lines. Frontline is made possible by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. And by the corporation for public broadcasting. Major support ffrontline is provided by the john d. And catherine t. Macarthur foundation, committed to building a more just, verdant and peaceful world. More information is available at macfound. Org. Additional funding is provided by the park foundation, dedicated to heightening Public Awareness of critical issues. And by tfrontline journalism fund, supporting investigative reporting and enterprise journalism. Narrator the Orontes River valley tells the story of syria. It reveals a warring nation that is breaking apart. In this valley, neighbor is fighting neighbor. Every day is a struggle to survive. A land where regime and rebels are fighting to the death. This is the story of the people who live and fight on both sides of the front line neighbors now divided by religion, ideology, and the river that runs between them. Ahmad is 20 years old, and works in his dads garage. Nine months ago he defected from the Regime Police force to join the rebel free syrian army. translated i was a policeman. We were sent out to quell the protests, and some of us would open fire on demonstrators. But i used to hide. Id throw my bullets away. Here is my photo. I looked evil when i was serving the regime. I was full of hatred. Now i look better. This photo was taken after i joined the free syrian army. This is the real me. The regime used to force me to shave my beard every day. When i defected, i started to grow it. I wanted to change my look while fighting with the rebels. translated hes just showing off. Its just a fashion. Its not really him. He even struggles to read the koran. Im not happy about it. I want him to pray but he doesnt. He can do what he wants. Narrator in the center of ahmads village is the local office of the free syrian army. These men were all born in this valley, and like the majority of syrians are sunni muslims. Theyre determined to oust president Bashar Alassad from power. translated we want a democratic system, with a government elected by everyone in syria. This would be better than the assad family. We are in the town of kansafra. This town is a stronghold of the free syrian army. It was liberated from assads army more than three months ago. Narrator the army of the assad regime has been pushed back across the valley to the other side of the Orontes River. Ahmads village is well within range of their artillery. Shells and mortars are routinely fired into this village. translated god willing, Bashar Alassads army cant get in here. We run things here now. Narrator doctors and nurses are ordered to report immediately to the local hospital. Ahmad is already there, using his phone to film casualties. translated i ran to the area to see who was injured, to see how i could help. These peoples lives are over. This is what god had written for them. I just despaired, and thought it was time that arab countries felt our suffering. Narrator ahmad and the people of his village have witnessed these scenes many times, fearing they will be next. Today, its Mohammed Mattar who has lost members of his family. Narrator mohammed is surrounded by the bodies of three of his nephews. They were killed 20 minutes ago by a government shell. Inside the hospital are more of mohammeds relatives. Narrator mohammeds brother mahmoud was injured while rushing his grandchildren into the house. Minutes later, he died. Mahmouds son and his grandson are in the room next door. With limited power and dwindling medical supplies, the surgeons are convinced they can do nothing for them. Narrator six members of mohammeds family are now dead or dyin the bodies are driven to the nearest mosque. The bodies are driven to the nearest mosque. Like many in these villages, mohammed is a refugee whos fled the fighting in the nearby city of muraat al numan. He wants to return there to bury his relatives, but the ten mile journey is too dangerous, and no driver will take him. Narrator they must be buried here, far away from home. Narrator day and night, the shelling and rocketing of rebelheld villages continues. Ahmad has filmed the aftermath of government shelling many times. translated we sunnis fear god. We wouldnt take a human life for no reason. Unless people are armed and attack our homes and kill us and our children. We only retaliate against the army units that shell our homes and civilians. Thats the only time we kill the regimes soldiers. Narrator across the river are regime forces, usually off limits to western media. Their positions along the 40 mile valley defend Syrias Alawite heartland. This Army Checkpoint faces ahmads village, and is one of the launching sites for regime attacks. The platoon commander is lieutenant ali ghazi. translated we are the syrian arab army, and our duty is to defend this homeland, to protect unarmed civilians, and to attack militants and destroy the armed mercenaries. Narrator rebelheld sunni villages are less than a mile away. This is president assads front line. translated there are a lot of armed groups over there. Theyre particularly active at night or at dawn, when theyre preparing to carry out armed attacks. There used to be a sniper in the dome of that mosque. One of my soldiers was shot in the chest by this sniper. They were using armorpiercing bullets, but we dealt with the threat. Narrator ali is a career soldier, and engaged to be married. But for the last two years hes been away fighting in some of the toughest places syrin. translated a lot of my colleagues have been killed. Around 30 have been killed. Two or three were officers in homes. This is my duty, my job. I am dedicated to my country. We are all martyrs in the making to keep our country safe. To preserve this state, and to protect its residents and its unarmed civilians. Narrator lieutenant ali and his soldiers are protecting this loyalist village, aziziya. Like president assad and lieutenant ali, the villagers on this side of the valley are nearly all alawite, a religious sect whose faith is loosely rooted in shia islam. Theyre a minority in syria, but have dominated the country for over 40 years. Aziziya receives sporadic fire from nearby rebels. As in many poor alawite villages, most men are away, fighting in assads security forces. Many alawites believe that the fall of the regime would lead to their death at the hands of the rebels. Everyone at the Public High School knows that the senior boys may soon be drafted. Narrator for generations, the alawites of aziziya had lived peacefully with the sunnis in the valley, even during the first year of the uprising. But as the revolution entered its second year, neighboring sunnis began weekly demonstrations calling for the overthrow of president assad and his regime. Watching the demonstrations was local alawite politician bahjat hamdan. translated most of those areas with different faiths have been incubating environments for groups who have an extremist ideology. It was a plan. Weapons were brought in a long time ago. It was all planned. The lads here had been preparing in case the village was attacked. Narrator in may last year, as violence spread across syria, fighting finally broke out between the alawites of aziziya and their sunni neighbors. translated we were with some young men, not many of us. The attackers were in the hundreds, about 700 gunmen. Narrator Mohammed Mahmoud is part of an alawite militia that protects the village. translated as the attack intensified and the number of the terrorists increased, we retreated. So they came in here and burned everything. You can see the fire damage. Narrator hes convinced that his sunni neighbors have been infiltrated by terrorists with extreme religious beliefs. translated they are planning to wipe us out. They dont even think of us as humans. In their books they call our sect the akbiya. The akbiya are insects that should live underground. We cannot surrender to this idea, because we are talking about genocide. There can be no negotiating with this extremist ideology. You either win or you die. The terrorist leading the attack, he was killed over there. His blood was all over the door. I killed another guy over here next to this door. The door over there. Narrator when the battle was over, at least five people lay dead, scores of houses were destroyed, and the valley was divided. Alawites and the regime army took control of this side. The sunnis abandoned their homes and fled to the other side of the Orontes River. translated this is an empty area, no one lives here. The residents fled because of the militants. Theres nobody. Its dangerous ahead. Thats where most of the gunfire comes from. Theres a water tank, and we often get snipers positioned up there. This is the front line. Its a dividing line. There are no armed militants west of here. The area to the west is almost safe. The militants want to break through here and push inside. Narrator the front line dividing alawites and sunnis means that hundreds of farmers now have crops in the nomansland between the two warring sides. translated how can i tell if its a gunman or a farmer coming to plow his land . In this conflict we can tell the difference between a gunman and a farmer. We only open fire if we see him carrying a gun. Narrator from here, rebel territory is less than a mile away, on the other side of the river. In the sunni village directly opposite the checkpoint, local farmer Mohammed Hamadeh prepares to check his crops. Mohammeds farmland lies on the other side of the river in what is now nomansland. The road leads directly to the aziziya checkpoint, and has been closed since the fighting broke out in the valley. translated i grow sugar beets. But for the past year i havent been able to harvest them. The land is only 400 meters from the checkpoint. Theres the checkpoint over there. Anyway, here are the beets. Look at this. Ruined. We planted these a year ago. Were ruined, totally ruined. gunfire gunfire they keep shooting at us. They have killed shepherds and farmers before. We dont even know whos shooting at us. All we know is that its coming from the checkpoint. A long time ago, the relationship between the alawites and sunnis was good. But now they dont miss an opportunity to hurt us. Its impossible for us to live with them. Therell be vendettas for 50 years because of these crimes. If it wasnt for the rebels protecting us, the alawites would come into our homes, rob us, and burn our houses down. Narrator as fighting continues in the Orontes River valley, the United Nations suddenly announces that both sides have agreed to a nationwide ceasefire. It will start tonight for the muslim holiday of eid. The news surprises the fighters in the valley. Ahmad and his Commanding Officer are summoned to discuss the announcement with their battalion leader. Hes one of the most powerful rebel leaders in the region. His name is Jamal Maarouf. translated i would love to be like jamal. Hes a true leader. A leader of 10,000 armed men. Jamal maarouf, an excellent military leader. His brigade is made up of groups from all over syria. Narrator jamal is the commander of the martyrs of syria brigade, one of the biggest factions of the free syrian army. While some rebel units contain islamic foreign fighters, jamal says his men are all local, and theyre fighting for a democratic syria. Hes called a meeting in a safe house deep in rebel territory, and is clear on how he will respond to the United Nations truce. translated we are not going to have a truce with killers and criminals. No way. translated these declarations are being made by people who live abroad, people who dont represent the revolution on the ground. I contacted all the combat divisions on the ground by skype and phone. They literally said that they do not want to commit to this truce. Tomorrow we will hit the checkpoint at wadi daif. Be ready at 5 30 a. M. Pray, and then come. Narrator jamal says the attack will bring democracy and justice one step closer. translated syria is for all syrians. If the regime falls, we vow to protect all the peoples of syria. Only killers will be held to account. We will only hold to account people who have the blood of innocents on their hands. The alawites have the right to live in syria. No one should be excluded from society. Narrator the next morning, just as the United Nations truce begins, ahmad and his comrades prepare for battle. translated we always try and pray before battle. It makes us stronger. Weve realized that only god will help us. So we ask god for the strength to attack more checkpoints. Narrator ahmad is going to attack a large government base at wadi daif. Its a major launching point for artillery attacks in the region. It also protects the regimes main supply route from the capital, damascus, to syrias embattled second city, aleppo. Narrator for weeks, theyve been besieging the base at wadi daif. The fighting has been intense. The brother of rebel leader Jamal Maarouf was killed here only weeks ago. Today they plan to storm the base and overrun it. The fog allows them to move unseen to within striking distance. The base lies less than a mile down this road, and is manned by up to 500 regime soldiers. Narrator jamal used to be a local construction worker. Today he claims to command over 10,000 armed rebels. Nearly all his heavy weaponry is looted from the regime after successful raids. Narrator the latest addition to jamals armory is a stolen Rocket Launcher captured by ahmads unit. Unfortunately, no one knows how to aim it. translated i am always happy when i am around the free syrian army. Our morale is high. Were happy. We are building the new syria. I feel happier with each inch we liberate, and with each mission. My greatest joy will be to become a martyr, and for syria to be liberated. Narrator despite recent offers of support, the west refuses to arm any units of the free syrian army. And these rebels are running low on ammunition. Narrator the attack begins, and jamal and his commanders stay back to coordinate. Ahmads unit must wait as no one can show them how to use the Rocket Launcher. Narrator within minutes, regime soldiers return fire with artillery. Narrator with the fog clearing and his men taking artillery fire, Jamal Maarouf orders his units to fall back. Ahmad is told to take cover. Narrator without the firepower to overrun the base, they must continue with the siege. As the rebel fighters dig in, the sunni villagers move out. translated this is our time to defend the country. I am making sacrifices for women and children, and for future generations. Our mission is dangerous, but we must make this country safe again. translated my soldiers put this on the wall, not me. Why do you say that . translated because people say the army is from one sect, or that the conscripts are forced to do things like that. And thats not true. This army is from all parts of syria. We dont think in a sectarian way. Our soldiers are from all sects. Were an ideological army. We all live together on this syrian land. Were not sectarian. The people over there are sectarian, and we dont accept that. Narrator hundreds of regime soldiers hold the front line along the Orontes River. Lt. Alis base is home to conscripts drawn from syrias many minorities not only alawites, but also christians, druze, kurds and turkmen. Many of these minorities fear domination by sunni muslims. But there are also sunni conscripts here, risking their lives to defend the regime. Narrator soldiers phones are routinely monitored by the regime to limit the chance of them defecting, and to prevent them from speaking to enemies like the villagers across the valley. They rely heavily on regime tv stations for news. Narrator many are convinced theyre fighting an army of Foreign Terrorists who are aided by the international media. Narrator its three days since the attack on wadi daif and the collapse of the United Nations ceasefire. On the rebel side of the Orontes River valley, villagers are terrified of what the regime may do next. Narrator while sunni villagers flee the daily threats, many more arrive every day, escaping the fighting in nearby cities. They think that these villages are safer. But ahmads village is struggling. Narrator the new arrivals are putting pressure on dwindling supplies of fuel, medicine and food. translated i grew up in this valley. I used to mix with the alawites a lot. We were like brothers before this revolution. We used to go to their homes until the early hours of the morning, and theyd visit us, too. If the alawites dont want to fight us, then we will solve this problem peacefully. But if they want to confront us, then well respond with deadly force. Narrator three miles from ahmads village, in the settlement of al bara, Jamal Maarouf meets his senior commanders. Theyre planning their next attack on the army base at wadi daif. jet flies overhead explosion narrator a regime jet has dropped a bomb on albara. Its landed 300 yards from jamal and his commanders. They fear they are being targeted, and flee to safe houses. The bomb has destroyed homes filled with villagers and refugees. Narrator a second bomb lands. The people here are refugees whove fled the fighting in the nearby city of maarrat alnuman. translated i felt terrible. What can one feel, to see so many bodies . People under the rubble, and we cant do anything about it. No one is supporting us, and no one will. Theyre just waiting for Bashar Alassad to kill us all, and for us to wear out his army, his tanks and his aircraft in the process. Thats what the western and arab countries want. Their heart isnt with the syrian people. They dont care about all this. About these people that are bombed to pieces. I dont know what i can do. There is no power except that which comes from god. Narrator the next day across syria, the regime carried out over 60 more air strikes. Over 70,