Division 13 of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), which is fighting Russia-backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, said on Twitter Sunday that the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabat al-Nusra, also known as Nusra Front, occupied and looted its posts on Friday.

And it was reported today that the FSA have also lost control of the Idlib town of Maarat al-Numan.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitoring group, says Nusra seized U.S.-provided TOW anti-tank missiles, armored vehicles, a tank, and other arms in the raid. It is believed they also took 40 FSA prisoners.

Nusra hit back at Division 13`s statement that they were the aggressors, saying the FSA division attacked first.

In a statement to to ARA News, a Nusra spokesperson said, `In an unexpected step, and in a difficult time in the blessed Syrian revolution, all were surprised by the faction Division 13 raiding the headquarters of Jabhat al-Nusra in the city of Maarat al-Numan.`

It added that the FSA had also raided houses in the city.

The FSA, which is a prominent force in Northern Syria but has had a weak hold over Idlib in recent times, denied claims that they had instigated this round of aggression, saying they would not attack a stronger enemy.

But that did not appease Nusra. At 9am EST today, Dubai-based journalist Jenan Moussa, who works at Al Aan TV, reported on Twitter that Nusra forces were systematically checking houses in Maarat al-Numan for FSA soldiers.

One hour later, she updated: `In a nutshell, FSA group Division 13 no longer exists in Maaret AlNoman [sic]. City now fully under Nusra (AlQaeda in #Syria) control.`
Attacked: FSA told Dubai-based ASA News reporter Jenan Moussa that their main specialist in firing TOW missiles (pictured) was attacked by Nusra using a rocket-propelled grenade

Both the Fundamentalist Islamic Nusra and the more moderate FSA are fighting to overthrow Assad, but disagree on how to govern the areas they have taken, Nicholas Heras, a Washington-based Middle East researcher at the Center for a New American Security, told ARA News.

The FSA has worked with anti-Assad groups before, but it has also fought them for territory on occasion, Arab News reported.

Heras added that the FSA is also under pressure from its Western backers, including America, to combat Jihadist groups like Nusra.

ARA News reports that more violence is expected between the FSA and Nustra in Aleppo province.

`These clashes are the result of long-boiling anger within the armed opposition as a result of [Nusra] trying to muscle into the moderate armed opposition’s turf, and from it trying to dominate civil society in rebel-ruled areas,` he said.

The attack on the FSA came two weeks into a ceasefire in Syria that has allowed aid workers into the country and worked towards tomorrow`s peace talks between Assad and opposition leaders in Geneva. However, the ceasefire explicitly rules out al-Qaeda and ISIS.

There have also been recent reports of the Assad regime breaking the ceasefire.

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