Syria militants, al-Qaeda-linked group clash in Aleppo
File photo shows Syria foreign-backed militants in the northwestern province of Idlib.
Foreign-backed militants in Syria have clashed with an al-Qaeda-linked group in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, as the infighting grows among the armed groups in the Arab country.
The infighting took place on Saturday, as militants of al-Qaeda offshoot engaged in a battle with members of the so-called Free Syrian Army in the city.
The battle erupted over the control of a key checkpoint earlier used by al-Qaeda militants to lay a siege on Bustan al-Qasr District.
The Qaeda militants seized the checkpoint last week and closed it for several days, preventing supplies from entering the city. The blockade angered local people and sparked demonstrations against the foreign-backed militants.
Similar infighting also occurred between the two groups near Bab al-Hawa crossing on the Turkish border.
There are no reports on casualties from the clashes.
On Thursday, al-Qaeda militants killed a senior commander of the so-called Free Syrian Army, Kamal Hamami also known by his nom de guerre, Abu Bassel al-Ladkani, following a meeting with him to discuss battle plans in the Syrian port city of Latakia.
Over the past months, rivalries and infighting have been on the rise among highly-divided militants operating inside Syria.
On June 5, dozens of militants were killed and wounded as violent infighting broke out between several Takfiri groups in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, according to locals.
Foreign-sponsored militancy in Syria has taken its toll on the lives of many people, including large numbers of Syrian soldiers and security personnel, since March 2011.
Western powers and their regional allies including the Israeli regime, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar are partners in supporting anti-Syria militant groups, including al-Qaeda-linked terrorists, to destabilize Syria and overthrow the government of President Bashar al-Assad.