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Al-Qaeda-linked ISIS under attack in northern Syria | Al-Qaeda-linked ISIS under attack in northern Syria |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A powerful al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria has issued an ultimatum to other rebel factions that have been fighting it. | |
The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) threatened to leave the city of Aleppo to government forces unless its rivals stop their attacks against it within 24 hours. | |
ISIS has suffered losses in two days of fighting against an alliance of rebel forces in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. | |
The group is accused of imposing a reign of terror on areas it controls. | |
In an audio message, an unidentified ISIS spokesman called on other rebel groups to lift checkpoints and release all the prisoners they hold. | |
He said ISIS had been "stabbed in the back", and that if the attacks did not stop, it would have no choice but to pull back from the frontlines of Aleppo. | |
Dozens of its members are reported to have been killed or captured over the past two days. | |
The BBC's Rami Ruhayem in neighbouring Lebanon says the fighting in northern Syria has highlighted a deep rift between groups that share a lot in ideology and aspirations. | |
ISIS is fighting Free Syrian Army groups as well as the Islamic Front, a coalition of Syrian rebel factions which also wants to build an Islamic state in Syria. | |
The fighting flared on Friday, prompted partly - reports said - by ISIS gunmen who fired at residents of the Aleppo village of Kafr Takharim. They had been protesting against the death of a doctor and rebel commander in ISIS custody. | |
Other rebel groups say ISIS has attempted to hijack their struggle for its own ends. | |
'Helping Assad' | 'Helping Assad' |
An Idlib activist, Abu Leyla, told AFP news agency that ISIS "only benefits the Assad regime". | An Idlib activist, Abu Leyla, told AFP news agency that ISIS "only benefits the Assad regime". |
That was echoed by the main opposition National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, which applauded the FSA's efforts to dislodge ISIS. | That was echoed by the main opposition National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, which applauded the FSA's efforts to dislodge ISIS. |
"ISIS is an extension of the Assad regime," the Coalition's Munzer Akbik said. | "ISIS is an extension of the Assad regime," the Coalition's Munzer Akbik said. |
"The solution to fighting extremism in Syria is to strengthen the Free Syrian Army at this critical juncture." | |
Fighting has been reported in: | Fighting has been reported in: |
The fight against ISIS appears to be the priority for all groups fighting the Syrian government, with one exception - the Nusra Front, our correspondent says. | The fight against ISIS appears to be the priority for all groups fighting the Syrian government, with one exception - the Nusra Front, our correspondent says. |
Organically linked to ISIS, the two groups used to follow the same al-Qaeda leadership until they split last year. Nusra is now closely allied to the Islamic Front, and has been trying to remain neutral. | Organically linked to ISIS, the two groups used to follow the same al-Qaeda leadership until they split last year. Nusra is now closely allied to the Islamic Front, and has been trying to remain neutral. |
For all the groups involved, the fighting is diverting precious resources away from the fight with the Syrian government, our correspondent adds. | For all the groups involved, the fighting is diverting precious resources away from the fight with the Syrian government, our correspondent adds. |