Translators should begin a new paragraph at this point (so Revised Standard Version, Good News Bible).

Next he turned aside to Alema: Turned aside to may be rendered “went to.” As the footnotes in Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible indicate, the name of the town here cannot be given with certainty; there are several variations in the Greek manuscripts. Most scholars accept Alema (see verse 26) as the most likely, although it is given by only one manuscript. We suggest translators follow Revised Standard Version and Good News Bible. A footnote will be helpful here, and Good News Bible‘s footnote may serve as a model. An alternative model for this clause is “Then [or, Next/After this] Judas led his army to the town of Alema.”

And fought against it and took it may be expressed as “and attacked it and captured it” or “which they attacked and captured.”

And he killed every male in it, plundered it, and burned it with fire: See the comments on verse 28.

Quoted with permission from Bullard, Roger A. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on 1-2 Maccabees. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2011. For this and other handbooks for translators see here.