A Syrian jihadist group appears to have pledged allegiance to al Qaeda 's leader -- but also stressed it can achieve a Syrian Islamic state only by working with other rebels , including secularists . The group , al-Nusra Front , also denies an earlier claim that it has merged with Iraq 's al Qaeda affiliate , according to an audio message purported to be from al-Nusra general commander Abu Muhammad al-Joulani . The message was posted on various radical Islamist websites known for posting similar statements by al Qaeda figures . Al-Joulani 's message comes after the leader of the al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq purportedly claimed this week in an audio statement that al-Nusra Front is part of its network . Opinion : Syria rebel group 's dangerous tie to al Qaeda . A speaker identifying himself as Islamic State of Iraq leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had said -- in a message posted to online jihadist forums -- that the two groups would combine their names and be known as `` The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant ( Syria ) . '' But al-Joulani distanced himself from al-Baghdadi 's message , saying it took al-Nusra off guard . `` We would like to inform the public that we were not informed or consulted of the content of the announcement , '' al-Joulani said . Despite denying a merger , al-Joulani said that he is raising the bar higher by pledging allegiance to al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri . Still , such a pledge `` will not change the policies of Nusra Front on the ground , '' al-Joulani said . READ MORE : Syrian rebels issue warning to Hezbollah . He said the group 's goal of achieving an Islamic state in Syria `` can only be built with the help of everyone -- without excluding any of the main parties who bled and fought with us and waged jihad in Syria . '' Al-Joulani said that includes `` all the other rebel factions . '' Al-Joulani , acknowledging that al-Nusra Front fought with jihadists in Iraq before turning its attention to the Syrian civil war , said he would delay consideration of a merger with al Qaeda in Iraq in part so his group can consult with various supporting groups . The U.S. State Department labeled al-Nusra Front a foreign terror organization linked to al Qaeda in Iraq back in December . Moaz al-Khatib , president of the main Syrian opposition alliance , said this week on his official Facebook page that al Qaeda 's way of thinking `` does not suit us . '' Al-Khatib heads the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces , which has leadership largely consisting of expatriates . He said that `` there are those who want to impose themselves even on al-Nusra Front . '' `` We reject ownership of any of the rebel factions inside Syria , '' he said . Al-Joulani 's message comes a week after the White House , according to U.S. officials , signed off on new nonlethal aid for Syrian rebels . Officials said it is expected to include equipment such as body armor , night vision goggles and other military equipment that is defensive in nature , but could be used to aid in combat by Syrian rebels battling forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad . READ MORE : Al-Assad warns of domino effect . Syrian opposition leaders asked for more aid , including lethal aid , at a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in London on Wednesday , according to two senior State Department officials who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity . But the requests were n't specific , and Kerry did n't make any promises , the officials said . Kerry urged the opposition to work together and organize more effectively , the officials said . Opposition officials said they were in the process of doing that . Meanwhile , Kerry , who also discussed Syria with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov , will head to Turkey on April 20 for more talks with European and Persian Gulf states on the crisis , the officials said . READ MORE : Syrian war is everybody 's problem . President Barack Obama agreed last month to send food and medicine to the rebels , the first direct U.S. support for the armed opposition . But the package falls short of the heavy weapons and high-tech equipment sought by the rebels . The decision also comes as Britain and France are leading efforts to lift a European Union arms embargo on Syria . Both have suggested they are prepared to join nations like Qatar in providing the rebels with weapons and are urging the United States to do the same . The United Nations says more than 70,000 people have been killed in Syria 's two-year civil war . Opposition activists reported at least 75 more deaths on Wednesday amid heavy fighting in and around Damascus and Daraa .
Syrian opposition coalition leader : We reject ownership of any of the rebel factions . Al-Nusra Front denies it has merged with al Qaeda in Iraq , according to purported message . But al-Nusra Front leader says he pledges allegiance to al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri . Abu Muhammad al-Joulani : I am a member of Jabhat Al Nusra, and we are fighting against all those who oppose us.