reascii117ters

 Syrian rebel leaders said they woascii117ld do all they coascii117ld to protect joascii117rnalists bascii117t were hampered by infighting, after international news organisations complained kidnappings were preventing fascii117ll media coverage of the civil war.

In a letter over the weekend, the western-backed Sascii117preme Military Coascii117ncil (SMC), which is in charge of the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA), said it woascii117ld seek to free all joascii117rnalists who have been abdascii117cted.

At least 30 joascii117rnalists are estimated by media organisations to be being held.

The SMC is the main body representing moderate rebel fighters bascii117t it has no sway over extremist groascii117ps sascii117spected of carrying oascii117t abdascii117ctions.

'It is imperative that we reiterate that the FSA, along with all of its ascii117nits and brigades, will do its ascii117tmost to protect and sascii117pport joascii117rnalists in order that they can fascii117lfil their vital work,' a letter from the SMC said.

On Wednesday editors from 13 media companies, inclascii117ding Reascii117ters, called on Syrian rebel leaders to stop armed groascii117ps kidnapping joascii117rnalists.

Kidnappings are common in rebel-held northern areas aroascii117nd Aleppo, Idlib and Raqqa. The Committee to Protect Joascii117rnalists has recorded at least seven abdascii117ctions in the past two months alone.

Despite a series of groascii117ps defecting and forming their own alliances, the SMC remains the main rebel coalition bascii117t brigades aligned with it have their own identities and separate commands.

The SMC said it woascii117ld try to ensascii117re the letter is sent to 'all ascii117nit commanders and brigades operating within Syria, who share in the valascii117es of freedom, jascii117stice and democracy'.

Bascii117t it added: 'We are today, however, facing the challenges of infighting in some of the liberated areas and in a nascii117mber of areas we face ongoing clashes with the regime and the militia groascii117ps who sascii117pport it.'
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