Rebel groups seek collaboration to break East Aleppo siege
Rebel groups seek collaboration to break East Aleppo siege
Sixteen Syrian rebel groups have announced their support for Ahrar al-Sham in their fight against Jund al-Aqsa.
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A Jund al-Aqsa fighter flies his organisation's flag in Idlib province, Syria [AFP]
Sixteen different rebel groups in Syria have issued an announcement that they intend to work with rebel group Ahrar al-Sham to fight the salafist rebel group Jund al-Aqsa.
The communique was published via Twitter the same day as a YouTube video emerged of a rebel leader describing a 'coalition' force that would break the siege of Aleppo.
"God willing, the battle for Aleppo is very close and the camps of all the [rebel] factions are gathering, with [Harakat Nour al-Din] al-Zenki, Nusra [now: Jabhat Fateh al-Sham], Ahrar [al-Sham] - all of them as one army," said Molham Ekaidi, 26, a leader of the Fastaqim Union.
"Inside and outside Aleppo, we will fight as one."
Fighting between Ahrar al-Sham and Jund al-Aqsa has intensified in the area around Idlib in recent days, with graphic footage emerging of Jund al-Aqsa allegedly murdering prisoners.
Twitter Post
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The Twitter video has been taken from a YouTube video, published Friday, which shows Ekaidi speaking in front of a gathering at a mosque.
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The US government designated Jund al-Aqsa a terrorist group on 20 September, as it is seen as having originated from al-Qaeda. It also placed Nusra Front, now Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, on the terrorist list in 2012.
A number of rebel groups issued a statement in September, allying themselves with Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, despite the US government's calls against them.
