Al Qaeda affiliate appoints new Emir for al-Dana, Idlib countryside

Al-Qaeda-linked group in Syria has appointed new Emir for al-Dana town in Idlib countryside after assassinating its emire Abu Abdullah al-Lybi by unknown armed group next to Bab al-Hawa crossing border last week, special source told Zaman Alwasl.

The State of Iraq and al-Sham agreed that Abo Jihad al-Chechani , Jihadist from Chechnya, will govern the 'Islamic emirate' of al-Dana, the source said.

Abu Abdullah al-Franci, Jihadist from France, was nominated to get the position but al-Chechani has big record in fighting the Assad Army and the Kurdish Militia, People's Defence Units, PYD.

''The ISIS is depending on the competencies to set the Emirs regardless the Jihadists nationality, in contrary to what its twin Jabhat al-Nusra used to do, to appoint only the Syrian Jihadist in high ranks,'' the source revealed to Zaman Alwasl.

In relevant development, the rise of ISIS in rebel-held areas in northern and eastern Syria has posed a problem for the broader rebel movement. While many insurgents are deeply Islamist themselves, their focus remains on toppling Mr. Assad, and they accuse ISIS of prioritizing its own jihadist agenda over the fight against the president. But the rebels hesitate to confront ISIS, saying their resources are already stretched by fighting the government.