The United States and Britain has suspended non-lethal aid to the opposition forces in Syria after warehouses belonging to the Supreme Military Council was taken over and supplies were seized by the Islamic Front, a group of seven major rebel brigades.

News of the suspension was announced by the U.S. Embassy in the Turkish capital by an official there. Officially, the U.S. provided non-lethal aid that consists of hand-held two-way radios and other communications equipment, medical kits, laptops, trucks, body armor, money, and satellite-access gear.

It was last month that seven Islamic rebel groups consisting of approximately 45,000 fighters broke away from the SMC and formed their own alliance in the war on the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad with the goal of building an Islamic state in that country. The breakaway from the SMC further weakened the groups position as Syrian forces continue to make advances in the conflict. It also puts the group in jeopardy of losing much of the western-backed aid coming to their cause. The SMC had previously assured the west that the aid sent to them would not fall into the hands of Islamic brigades.

Four days later, the group drove the SMC out of the bases at Bab al-Hawa taking the weapons and supplies held there that had been sent across the border from Turkey. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the items taken from there included anti-tank rockets and anti-aircraft weapons. Although they also ordered the SMC flag to be taken down from the compound, they said in a statement that “We believe that those brigades are our brothers, that they know that we are not the enemy.”

This emergence of Islamic factions within the rebels has caused the U.S. to rethink its policies in regard to Syria. The current policy is to provide aid to the moderate elements involved in the fight against Assad.

As a result of the increased infighting, the Turkish government has closed its side of the border with Syria.

The U.S. Embassy in Turkey pointed out when they announced the suspension of non-lethal aid to the rebels that U.S. humanitarian aid, which is distributed by humanitarian organizations, will continue in northern Syria. Non-lethal aid will also continue through the southern routes into Syria through Jordan.