combatant• The group is believed to have about 100 combatants.• But the new strategythreatens not only combatants, but those coordinatingattacks.• Political combatants now routinely impugn the very moralfiber of their opponents.• The controversy was so deep that an appeal was made to Rome by the combatants.• Before it was over, knuckle-dusters had been used and two of the combatants were taken to hospital.• On one side of the river, the combatantsrepresented good.• The two combatants gradually edge off to the other side of the street.