Blast targets Al-Qaeda office in Syria, causing casualties

Syrian rebels and opposition activists say an Al-Qaeda-linked group is on the verge of snuffing out what remains of the 2011 Syrian uprising against President Bashar Assad in northwest Syria. Arabic reads, “Detaining members of the Daesh group in the city of Sarmin.” (AP)

BEIRUT: Syrian opposition activists and state media say an explosion has targeted an office of the Al-Qaeda affiliate in northern Syria, inflicting casualties.
Syrian state TV did not provide further details in its report. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the explosion occurred near the office belonging to the Al-Qaeda-linked Levant Liberation Committee on Friday.
The Observatory says two of the militant group’s fighters were killed and several others were wounded.
The Ibaa news agency, which is linked to Al-Qaeda, says the blast in the village of Urum Al-Kubra, west of the northern city of Aleppo, left “several martyrs” and wounded people.
The explosion comes amid rising tension in northern Syria between the Al-Qaeda-linked group and other factions, including more moderate rebels.