Syria Militants Lay Siege to Qaeda-Linked Extremists, Kill Numerous in Raqa

Local Editor

A group calling itself the Islamic Front has killed a number of militants loyal to the al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the northern part of Syria as infighting intensifies among foreign-backed militants in the Arab country.
On Monday, fighting between the two militant groups erupted in the Syrian town of al-Nairab. A number of ISIL militants were also captured during the fighting.
The so-called Islamic Front, which is the biggest militant alliance in Syria, had earlier announced that it would fight against the ISIL.

Earlier in the day, the al-Qaeda-linked militants killed at least 50 rival militants in attacks including car bombings and summary executions.
Monday was the third day of infighting, which began when militants of the so-called Free Syrian Army (FSA) attacked checkpoints and bases manned by the ISIL.

Also on Monday, Militants laid siege to al-Qaeda-linked extremists in their northern stronghold of Raqa, managing to free 50 people they had detained, said the opposing UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Raqa emerged as a new front Sunday in fighting among militants battling the Syrian government, with various groups joining forces against al-Qaeda affiliate the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

"The militants have been laying siege to ISIL's headquarters in the city of Raqa since last night. They released 50 Syrian prisoners held by ISIL in another building," said the Observatory.

On Sunday the rebel infighting spread to the central province of Hama, as well as Raqa, and the Observatory said scores of militants have been killed on both sides.
ISIL and al-Nusra have fought each other in recent months, after ISIL announced it was al-Qaeda's representative in Syria. Al-Nusra had been operating in Syria for longer, and refused to work under ISIL's command.
Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri then ordered ISIL's Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to work with al-Nusra -- and he refused. The two groups have since had, at best, tense relations, and at worst they have engaged in open fighting.

According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies -- namely Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey -- are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.
According to the United Nations, more than 100,000 people have been killed and millions displaced in the foreign-backed militancy.

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