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| Al Qaeda Says It Has Broken Ties With Syrian Affiliate | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Al Qaeda’s top leadership moved publicly on Monday to sever the organization’s relationship with its Syrian affiliate, which has been widely blamed in recent months for stoking rebel infighting in Syria’s civil war. | Al Qaeda’s top leadership moved publicly on Monday to sever the organization’s relationship with its Syrian affiliate, which has been widely blamed in recent months for stoking rebel infighting in Syria’s civil war. |
| In a statement distributed on jihadist websites, the Qaeda leadership said it no longer had any connection with the affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant, which has asserted an increasingly important role in the Syrian conflict and stoked the enmity of other groups fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad. | In a statement distributed on jihadist websites, the Qaeda leadership said it no longer had any connection with the affiliate, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, also known as the Islamic State of Syria and the Levant, which has asserted an increasingly important role in the Syrian conflict and stoked the enmity of other groups fighting to topple the government of President Bashar al-Assad. |
| While the authenticity of the statement could not be confirmed, the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization that tracks jihadist communications on the Internet, posted a summary of the statement on its website, suggesting it was credible. | While the authenticity of the statement could not be confirmed, the SITE Intelligence Group, an organization that tracks jihadist communications on the Internet, posted a summary of the statement on its website, suggesting it was credible. |
| The motivation for severing the relationship appeared to reflect the Qaeda leadership’s own effort to assert more influence over the jihadist elements of the Syrian insurgency and not side with one faction or another. The statement said Al Qaeda disapproved of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and had “ordered it to stop” acting in Al Qaeda’s name. | The motivation for severing the relationship appeared to reflect the Qaeda leadership’s own effort to assert more influence over the jihadist elements of the Syrian insurgency and not side with one faction or another. The statement said Al Qaeda disapproved of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and had “ordered it to stop” acting in Al Qaeda’s name. |
| According to a translation of the statement quoted by The Associated Press, Al Qaeda condemned the rebel infighting in Syria. “We distance ourselves from the sedition taking place among the mujahedeen factions and of the forbidden blood shed by any faction,” the statement was quoted as saying. | According to a translation of the statement quoted by The Associated Press, Al Qaeda condemned the rebel infighting in Syria. “We distance ourselves from the sedition taking place among the mujahedeen factions and of the forbidden blood shed by any faction,” the statement was quoted as saying. |
| Angered by what they called the arrogant behavior of fighters loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the organization’s tendency to commandeer resources, other Syrian groups began to violently clash with it starting in late 2013. Many of the clashes were deadly, and most were confined to the northern and eastern parts of Syria, where the rebellion against Mr. Assad is most pronounced. | Angered by what they called the arrogant behavior of fighters loyal to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and the organization’s tendency to commandeer resources, other Syrian groups began to violently clash with it starting in late 2013. Many of the clashes were deadly, and most were confined to the northern and eastern parts of Syria, where the rebellion against Mr. Assad is most pronounced. |
| While the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria shares the common insurgent goal of deposing Mr. Assad and his followers, it wants to replace the government with a strict Islamic state. | While the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria shares the common insurgent goal of deposing Mr. Assad and his followers, it wants to replace the government with a strict Islamic state. |
| In early January, another Qaeda-linked group in Syria, the Nusra Front, proposed a cease-fire in the rebel infighting and the establishment of a special Islamic court to resolve any disputes, but that solution apparently never advanced. | In early January, another Qaeda-linked group in Syria, the Nusra Front, proposed a cease-fire in the rebel infighting and the establishment of a special Islamic court to resolve any disputes, but that solution apparently never advanced. |
| The nearly three-year-old Syrian conflict has left an estimated 130,000 people dead and millions displaced, with no sign of resolution. Last week, the first face-to-face peace talks took place between the Assad government and an opposition coalition group, which ended in acrimony, although further talks could take place later this month. | |
| The opposition coalition has little influence over fighters on the ground and has repeatedly denounced the presence of Qaeda fighters in the insurgency. The Assad government considers all armed resistance groups to be terrorists. |