The Western-backed Free Syrian Army on Thursday announced that the assassination of one of their top commanders by Al-Qaeda-linked militants was “tantamount to a declaration of war,” Reuters reported.

The move comes after FSA Supreme Military Council member Kamal Hanami was killed by members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant in Latakia province.

“We are going to wipe the floor with them. We will not let them get away with it because they want to target us," a rebel FSA commander told Reuters on condition of anonymity.

The commander added that the Al-Qaeda affiliate fighters warned the FSA that there was “no place” for them in the Latakia province, the report said.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant have been clashing with FSA fighters in Syria in the past weeks.

“Last Friday, the Islamic State killed an FSA rebel in Idlib province and cut his head off. There have been attacks in many provinces,” the Observatory told Reuters.

Western states have raised increasing concern over the strong position of extremist Islamist militant groups in Syria, with key US Congressional committees in the past days holding up the Barack Obama administration’s plans to arm rebels out of fears the arms would reach Al-Nusra Front rebels.

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