Syrian insurgent group says loyal to former al Qaeda branch: statement

Reuters ^ | October 9th, 2016 | by John Davison

[Mariner]

A powerful Syrian Islamist insurgent group on Sunday pledged allegiance to former al Qaeda branch Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, a statement circulated by rebel officials and reported by a monitoring group said.

The Jund al-Aqsa group said it was trying to settle differences with Ahrar al-Sham, with which it has been fighting for days in the northwestern Idlib province, so as not to weaken rebel fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's government.

Government forces in recent days have captured territory from rebels taking advantage of infighting, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has reported.

On Sunday they made further gains, recapturing the villages of Maan and al-Kabariya, which rebels including Jund al-Aqsa fighters had seized last month.

The Observatory, which also reported Jund al-Aqsa's announcement, said the group was seeking the protection of Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.

Jund al-Aqsa's statement - circulated by rebel officials from other groups and carrying the Jabhat Fateh al-Sham stamp - did not say how pledging allegiance to Jabhat Fateh al-Sham would mend its relationship with Ahrar al-Sham.

[Mariner]

The US provides material support for both of these groups.

As well as diplomatic and air cover.

[DIRTYSECRET]

I’ve had better happy endings.

[2banana]

Obama and Hillary are giving weapons and funding to the same people who flew planes into the WTC.

Let that sink in for a moment...