In Idlib, northwest Syria, seven soldiers were recently captured by "rebel" forces. They were tortured and executed, by beheading, echoing Koran 47:4: "So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve [or "infidels"], then smite the necks [decapitate] until when you have overcome them... That is the command."

Today, Al Hadath News published the following pictures of the aftermath, to document the atrocity — and the nature of the "rebellion," so frequently portrayed in the West as a fight for "freedom and democracy." (Click here for more on Syria's beheadings.)

According to Sham Times and otherArabic websites, jihadi social media networks posted the above picture of a child sitting on the ground while surrounded by armed men pointing their rifles at him. The caption appearing with the picture, purportedly posted by a supporter of the Free Syrian Army, is "Our youngest hostage from among the hostile sects of Kessab."

Kessab is a predominantly Christian Armenian village in Syria near the Turkish border. Earlier it was invaded by jihadis, who terrorized, pillaged churches, and prompted some 2000 residents to flee. Initial reports had stated that about a dozen families remained as hostages.

Since the picture appeared on Arabic social media, many have expressed shock and outrage, condemning the Syrian "rebels," while others cast doubt on the authenticity of the picture.

Of course, those wondering what the jihadis have to gain from taking such a picture and making it public would do well to remember that these are the same "rebels" who decapitate people and wave their severed and bloodied heads in front of cameras while smiling; these are the same "freedom fighters" who literally eat their victims on camera.

Surely "teasing" an infidel toddler — a subhuman — with their rifles and sharing it with their sadistic comrades via the Internet for a "laugh" should not be too surprising?

At any rate, the fact remains: the “Free Syrian Army,” along with other “rebel” groups operating in Syria, are guilty of countless barbaric crimes against humanity — including against women and children.

UPDATE: Commenter LeviDocker at PJ Tatler posts a very apt excerpt from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's classic work, The Brothers Karamazov, which follows:

These Turks took a pleasure in torturing children, too; cutting the unborn child from the mother's womb, and tossing babies up in the air and catching them on the points of their bayonets before their mothers' eyes. Doing it before the mothers' eyes was what gave zest to the amusement. Here is another scene that I thought very interesting. Imagine a trembling mother with her baby in her arms, a circle of invading Turks around her. They've planned a diversion: they pet the baby, laugh to make it laugh. They succeed, the baby laughs. At that moment a Turk points a pistol four inches from the baby's face. The baby laughs with glee, holds out its little hands to the pistol, and he pulls the trigger in the baby's face and blows out its brains. Artistic, wasn't it? By the way, Turks are particularly fond of sweet things, they say.