Listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, the Nusra Front was excluded from a truce negotiated in February. The group’s leader, Abu Mohamad al-Golani, made the announcement in a video that was the first public pronouncement to show his face. Russia and the United States are discussing closer coordination to fight the militia. BEIRUT, July 28 (Reuters) - The leader of the Syrian Islamist rebel group Nusra Front said on Thursday it was cutting its ties with al Qaeda to deny foreign powers including the United States and Russia a pretext to attack Syrians. Al Qaeda’s leader, Ayman al Zawahri, had earlier given his blessing to Nusra Front to break organizational ties with the global jihadist organization in the interest of preserving its unity and continuing its fight in Syria.

Source: Huffington Post July 28, 2016 17:37 UTC