BEIRUT: A group of mainly Central Asian jihadists fighting in Syria on Wednesday declared allegiance to Al-Qaeda's offshoot in the country to battle the regime, its ally Russia and a US-led coalition.

Jaish al-Muhajireen wal Ansar -- which includes Chechens, Uzbeks and Tajiks -- first appeared in Syria in 2012 and has around 1,500 fighters in the northern province of Aleppo.