Bomb kills scores of FSA-affiliated rebels in southern Syria

A car bomb, blamed on the Islamic State group, has killed at least 20 Western-backed Syrian rebels in the southern Syrian province of Quneitra.
1 min read
02 March, 2016
A car bomb hit a Syria Revolutionaries Front meeting in Quneitra province, killing 20 [Twitter]

A car bomb killed at least 20 members of a Western-backed rebel coalition in southern Syria on Wednesday.

A rebel source said the attack was likely carried out by hardline Islamists. 

Suhaib al-Ruhail, a spokesman for the Furqan Brigade, which operates in the area, said it was most likely carried out by "Daesh (IS) sleeper cells."

Four leaders of the Syrian Revolutionaries Front were among the dead after unknown assailants targeted the group in a village in Quneitra province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The rebel coalition, which is also backed by Arab countries including Jordan, is one of the most powerful in Quneitra province along with al-Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front.

Together with other rebels, it drove Islamic State group extremists from the province a year ago.

The United States announced in September 2014 it wanted to support and train members of the Syrian Revolutionaries Front.

The alliance was created in late 2013 after the establishment of the Islamic Front which brings together various strains of Islamists.

A fragile ceasefire in Syria has been in place since Saturday but it does not include extremist groups.