Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat—Al-Qaeda’s franchise in Syria, the Al-Nusra Front, will likely suffer a further drop in influence and popularity following the announcement of the establishment of an Islamic State by rival Islamist group, the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, director of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) Rami Abdul Rahman said that “Al-Nusra Front’s presence in Syria is now limited to the rural areas of Aleppo, Idlib and Hama.” The Islamist group had previously enjoyed a strong presence in eastern and northern parts of Syria.
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/07/article55333984