LATEST: Syrian Military Claims Capture of Zara, West of Homs

The Islamic State of Iraq and as-Sham has declared that it is at war with Syrian insurgents.

ISIS, which has been fighting other factions across northern and eastern Syria since early January, issued an audio statement on Friday blaming the insurgents. It said the opposition fighters had attacked “when they saw (ISIS) was getting more powerful.

They resorted to force and thought that they would be able to wipe it within a few days or hours. They prepared for a military campaign all over Syria and accompanied it with a propaganda campaign to harm the image of (ISIS)) and turn the people against it.

They then launched the campaign of betrayal and treason but they were surprised that (ISIS) was more solid than they expected and they failed in breaking it.

Almost two weeks ago, the Islamist faction Jabhat al-Nusra issued a 5-day ultimatum to ISIS to cease fire or “face expulsion” from Syria and Iraq. The Iraqi-led group was accused of the killing of leading insurgent Abu Khaled al-Suri, who had been asked by Al Qa’eda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri to mediate between ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra.

ISIS pulled back from some areas in northern Syria, including the town of Azaz near the Turkish border, but the ultimatum passed without further action by insurgents.

ISIS has had some success across northern Syria in the fight, including its use of car bombs, but has been pushed out of almost all its positions in Idlib Province and in eastern Syria.

Syrian Military Claims Capture of Zara, West of Homs

The Syrian military has claimed the capture of Zara, west of Homs, after nearly a month of fighting.

“Syrian army units, in cooperation with the National Defence Force and honourable residents, took full control of the town…and its surroundings in the western Homs countryside,” a statement said.

Zara lies on a highway linking central Syria to the Mediterranean coast. The statement also claimed the town is a “key passageway for terrorist groups coming from Lebanon”.

Activists Post Names of 33 Hezbollah Fighters Killed Near Yabroud

Activists have posted the names of 33 men who they claim were Hezbollah fighters killed in the regime offensive near Yabroud, northeast of Damascus.

Pro-Assad forces have tried for almost a month to close on Yabroud, the biggest city in the Qalamoun region. On Friday, opposition sources asserted that 150 Syrian troops and Hezbollah had been slain as they tried to seize Rima Farms near Yabroud.

Confusion Over Opposition “Deal” To Replace Military Commander Idriss

Friday’s reported agreement to replace General Salim Idriss as head of the Supreme Military Council is in confusion this morning.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition said, after days of meetings in Turkey, that Idriss had agreed to step aside and become a military advisor to Coalition head Ahmad Jarba.

However, later in the day, Idriss and other commanders were reportedly infuriated that the Coalition’s Defense Minister Assaad Mustafa had not resigned.

It was initially reported that Mustafa, blamed for the attempt last month to fire Idriss, was quitting although he might return as Interior Minister in the Coalition’s provisional Government.

Meanwhile, news circulated that about 30 members of the Supreme Military Council and Free Syrian Army, including commanders, had fought on Thursday. Jarba was hit three times as he tried to separate combatants.

The Coalition’s attempt to dismiss Idriss in February was rebuffed by the General and 15 other commanders.

General Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir, the head of the Quneitra Command in southern Syria, has been named as Idriss’s replacement.

97 Killed on Friday Across Syria

The Local Coordination Committees report that 97 people were killed across Syria on Friday, including 35 in Damascus and its suburbs, 28 in Aleppo Province, 16 in Idlib Province, and 11 in Daraa Province.