Crowd attacks Syrian rebel figure over reconciliation push

BEIRUT (AP) — Angry protesters in Syria’s rebel-held enclave have rallied against reconciliation attempts between Turkey and Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government and scuffled with a local Syrian opposition figure involved in those attempts. The crowd in the rebel-held town of Azaz on Friday first chanted slogans against the political efforts, then shouted abuse at Salem Meslet, head of the Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition, who showed up at the gathering. Several men chased Meslet down a street and slapped him. He was not seriously hurt and managed to flee from the scene. Since the outbreak of Syria’s civil war, Ankara has supported anti-Assad forces and the Syrian opposition.