Baladi News – (Saleh Abu Ismael)
Consultations among al-Nusra front leaders are underway regarding disengaging from al-Qaeda in order to participate in the Syrian civil institutions.
“Due to ongoing attacks against the civilian liberated areas in Aleppo and Idlib under the pretext of targeting al-Nusra front, which have caused huge numbers of innocent casualties over the past few days, as well as the importance of unification, consultations within the Islamic Shura Council regarding the disengagement from al-Qaeda organization are underway”, an anonymous al-Nusra leader told Baladi News.
The leader added that “such a step, as well as the participation in the Syrian society institutions, would falsify the pretext of targeting al-Nusra as a terrorist organization, and unite the rebels under one flag to fight the regime.”
However, the name to be given to the new formation has not been agreed on yet. Two names were suggested; The Syrian Movement and Levant Conquest Movement. In addition, no date has been specified for the declaration of disengagement, but it will be determined in a recorded interview with al-Julani, Emir of the front.
The speaker indicated that no political goals are behind this procedure except leaving no excuse for the regime to bombard civilians in liberated areas.
Activists on social media shared news about the disengagement of al-Nusra front from al-Qaeda, but this news is mere prediction as no clarifications were provided by al-Nusra in this regard.
It is noteworthy that the United States classified al-Nusra front as a terrorist group, and the Security Council agreed unanimously on 30 May 2013 to add the front to the list of terrorist organizations.
Al-Nusra front spreads in the north, middle, and south of Syria, through a number of divisions. However, Idlib is its most prominent stronghold with most of its divisions being centered over there.