Syria’s main al-Qaida-linked group denies it was behind the killing of an Islamic State leader

BEIRUT (AP) — Syria’s main insurgent al-Qaida-linked group denied it was behind the killing of the Islamic State group’s leader in the country’s northwest saying it would have otherwise claimed responsibility. The security arm of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, made the announcement Friday night, a day after IS blamed the Syrian insurgent group for the death of its little-known leader, Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurayshi, who headed the extremist organization since November. The Islamic State group broke away from al-Qaida a decade ago and attracted supporters from around the world.