Powerful Ahrar al-Sham movement condemned the infighting between key rebel groups in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, urging for an immediate ‘ceasefire’ as clashes left 40 fighters dead.
Ahrar al-Sham said in statement Jaish al-Islam group stood behind the ongoing fighting with Faylaq al-Rahman and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in the embattled Easten Ghouta. Adding that its bastions were stormed by Jaish al-Islam and many members were arrested.
The fierce clashes left at least 40 dead and 70 wounded on Friday, activists said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes pitted the Jaish al-Islam against Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Al-Qaeda's former branch in Syria, and Faylaq al-Rahman.
"There were at least 15 dead among the ranks of Jaish al-Islam and 23 among its adversaries" as well as two civilians, the Britain-based Observatory said.
Another 70 were wounded.
Jaish al-Islam said its opponents had provoked the clashes by harassing reinforcements headed for Qabun, east of the Syrian capital, a front with regime forces.
Faylaq al-Rahman denied the allegation.
In May 2016, more than 300 people were killed in a battle between the two sides
