Al Qaeda’ s General Command issued a statement disassociating itself from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham, deploring the “sedition” and “the enormity of the disaster that afflicted the Jihad in Syria.” An ISIS fighter who had previously served as a negotiator between ISIS and Islamic battalions detonated in the Islamic battalion center in Aleppo’s Al-Ra’ii neighborhood, killing 16 Islamic battalion fighters, including two commanders. ISIS earlier battled Islamic battalions and rebels for control of the area. ISIS clashed with regime forces near al-Sfera city. In Raqqah, gunmen killed an ISIS commander, and ISIS seized a rebel battalion’s weapons and held its commander for three days. Three Al Nusrah Front fighters died fighting regime forces in Quneitra. An ISIS suicide bombing in Aleppo yesterday killed Adnan Bakkour, head of the Tawheed Brigade; ISIS also killed Abu Hussein al-Dik, a commander of the Suqour al-Sham. Regime barrel bombs killed at least 85 people, including 65 civilians, in 24 hours in Aleppo. ISIS has reportedly formed two female battalions in Raqqah to check for male activists opposing ISIS who have disguised themselves in burkas. Video of a purported recent ISIS beheading in Homs was posted on social networks.
