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Syria’s foreign-backed militants fighting the Syrian government were engaged in clashes with al-Qaeda linked terrorists, Wall Street Journal and other news agencies reported on Friday.
The US daily also reported that the “Islamic Front”, another opposition armed group but less radical, was also involved in the fight against the so-called “Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL).
The news paper said that th
e clashes were the first between two extremist groups.“Just last month, the Islamic Front seized an FSA (foreign-backed Free Syrian Army) warehouse storing US military gear. But Friday's fighting—pitting the “Islamic Front” and secular FSA against ISIL—signaled that alliances may be shifting,” Wall Street Journal noted.
“Widespread public protests against ISIS on Friday also highlighted growing public resistance to the group whose mostly foreign fighters and heavy-handed tactics have stirred opposition among Syrians of all stripes,” the daily added.
Meanwhile, the Britain-based “Syrian Observatory for Human Rights” also reported the fight, adding it was taking place in Aleppo and Idlib.
“The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported fierce fighting between rebels and ISIL in flashpoints of Aleppo city and province on Friday,” Agence France Presse said.
“In Aleppo and nearby Idlib, 16 pro-Qaeda fighters were reported killed. In Idlib alone, at least 42 ISIL fighters were wounded and 20 other civilians hurt in the crossfire, while in Aleppo, a media activist was killed while covering the fighting,” the agency quote dthe observatory as saying.
Earlier on Thursday, a report published by pan-Arab daily al-Hayat reported that there were signs of fires and imminent fight between the “Islamic Front” and the ISIL.
“Signs of a fierce war between the so-called “Islamic Front” and the “Islamic State in Iraq and Levant” have started in the areas in northern Syria, which are controlled by the extremist militants fighting the Syrian government,” the report said.
The daily also said that ISIL terrorists have killed Hussein Suleiman (Abu Rayan), the head of Tal Abyad crossing between Syrian and Turkey.
“Abu Rrayan” was also a commander in a prominent group within the “Islamic Front.”
Signs of torture were found on the corpse of “Abu Rayan,” the Arab news paper reported, quoting opposition sources.
Source: Newspapers | 04-01-2014 - 09:03 Last updated 04-01-2014 - 09:21 |
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