Nusra Front Merges With ISIL At Syria-Iraq Border Town June 26, 2014 . Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch has issued a loyalty pledge to the so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant at a tinderbox town on the Iraqi border, a monitor says. . The merger is significant as it opens the way for ISIL to take control of both sides of the border at Albu Kamal in Syria and al-Qaim in Iraq, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. . ISIL — which aspires to create a so-called Islamic state that straddles Iraq and Syria — has spearheaded a lightening militant offensive that has captured swathes of territory north and west of Baghdad this month. . After months of clashes between the two sides, al-Qaeda’s official Syrian arm the al-Nusra Front “pledged loyalty to ISIL” in Albu Kamal on Wednesday, said Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman. . “The pledge comes amid advances by ISIL in Deir al-Zour province” in eastern Syria on the Iraqi border, Abdel Rahman told AFP. . An ISIL militant confirmed the reports on Twitter, and posted a photograph showing an Egyptian al-Nusra Front commander shaking hands with an ISIL leader of Chechen origin. . Although both ISIL and al-Nusra are rooted in al-Qaeda, the two have been rivals for much of the time that ISIL has been involved in Syria’s civil war since spring last year. . “They are rivals, but both groups are jihadist and extremists. This move will create tension now with other rebel groups, including Islamists, in the area,” said Abdel Rahman. . An opposition activist in Albu Kamal told AFP via the Internet that “there is a lot of tension, and the situation is only going to get worse.” . Using a pseudonym for security reasons, Hadi Salameh also said the merger would “cause a big problem with the local tribes, who will not welcome this change”. . Also on Wednesday, the Syrian air force carried out air raids targeting ISIL-controlled Raqa in the north of the country and Muhassen in the east. . Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. According to reports, Western powers and their regional allies – especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey – are supporting the militants operating inside the country. . Source: Al Alam .
Posted on: Thu, 26 Jun 2014 13:21:31 +0000
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