Syrian rebels will lay down their arms within the next week if they do not receive support from the exiled opposition to fight against the jihadist Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), according to Agence France Presse Wednesday.
The rebels' statement was released three days after ISIS declared that it had established a renewed Islamic caliphate in parts of Iraqi and Syrian territory.
ISIS, who is now referring to itself as the "Islamic State" (IS) after Sunday's announcement of the caliphate, has seized territory in at least five of Iraq's provinces within the past month, and controls the areas of Raqa, Deir Ezzor and parts of Aleppo in Syria as well.
"Our popular revolution (against Syrian President Bashar Al Assad)... is today under threat because of the (Islamic State), especially after it announced a caliphate," said the statement.
The groups who signed and released the statement represent some of the most hard-pressed groups fighting the IS in Raqa, Deir Ezzor and Aleppo provinces.
The rebels' statement comes days after U.S. president Barack Obama urged Washington lawmakers to support legislation that would direct funds to Syria's moderate opposition to train and equip them in their fight against not only the Assad regime, but also the IS.
Secretary of State John Kerry reiterated Obama's appeal during his visit to Riyadh last week, saying, "The moderate Syrian opposition... has the ability to be a very important player in pushing back against (the jihadists') presence."
IS was previously linked with Al Qaeda, but was disowned by the international terrorist group earlier this year due to a fallout between IS and Al Qaeda's top leadership.
