US Designates Jund al-Aqsa Militant Groups as Terrorist Entity

Rasa - The US State Department designated a militant group in Northern Syria, Jund al-Aqsa, a terrorist organization in a move to block any assets it may have in the United States and prevent Americans from engaging with the group.

News ID: 423734

Date: 20 September 2016 - 22:42

RNA - In a statement released on Tuesday, the department said the group had once been part of the Fatah al-Sham Front (formerly known as al-Nusra Front), but has "since split and now carries out operations independently", Swiss Info reported.

"However, despite the split it is still openly aligned with Fatah al-Sham Front," the State Department said, citing two suicide bombings Jund al-Aqsa launched in March 2015 and a February 2014 village massacre that killed 40 civilians.

The official terrorism designation is one way US officials aim to deny sanctioned groups and individuals access to the US financial system.

"Today’s action notifies the US public and the international community that Jund al-Aqsa is actively engaged in terrorism," the state department said.

The Jund al-Aqsa has been one of several militant groups that Syrian Army is currently battling against them in Hama province.

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