Al Qaeda In Iraq Merges With Jihadist Groups In Syria

Iraq’s Branch Of Al Qaeda Merges With Syria Jihadists -- New York Times

BEIRUT, Lebanon — Iraq’s branch of Al Qaeda said Tuesday that it had merged with the Nusra Front, a group of jihadists fighting to topple President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, in a marriage that appeared to strengthen the role of Islamic militants in the Syrian insurgency and further complicate Western assistance efforts.

The United States has already blacklisted the Nusra Front over evidence of its links with the Islamic State of Iraq, the Qaeda branch. But the news of the merger, made by the branch’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in an audio statement posted on jihadist Web sites, was the first time he had announced that they were a single organization.

Read more ....

More News On Al Qaeda In Iraq Merging With Jihadist Groups In Syria

Iraqi al Qaeda wing says Nusra Front is its Syria branch: SITE group -- Reuters
Al-Qaida in Iraq admits links to Syrian jihadist fighters -- The Guardian
Al-Qaeda in Iraq claims merger with Syria's Jabhat al-Nusra -- The Telegraph
Al Qaeda group in Iraq unites with extremists in Syria -- L.A. Times
Al-Qaida in Iraq Merges with Syrian Jihadist Group -- Voice of America
Syria's al-Nusra Front 'part of al-Qaeda' -- BBC
Syrian militant group unites with al-Qaida in Iraq -- Houston Chronicle/AP
Syria Jihadist Al-Qaeda Link to Aid Assad, Opposition Says -- Bloomberg Businessweek
Syrian Radicals Join Al-Qaida -- Investors.com