The bodies of more than 130 fighters, some shot execution-style and others beheaded by rival extremists, have been found in mass graves in Syria's Idlib province, AFP reported Thursday (February 23rd).

At least 131 bodies were found on Wednesday and Thursday in two separate mass graves near Khan Sheikun, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

The bodies of 41 fighters were found near the same town last week amid clashes between Jund al-Aqsa and al-Nusra Front (ANF) and allied factions.

Jund al-Aqsa, which is considered close to the "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL), had detained the fighters and "executed" them, Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman said.

Jaish al-Nasr spokesman Mohammad Rashid put the number of bodies found at 128. He said 71 of those killed were fighters from his group.

"Three citizen journalists and 11 commanders were among them," Rashid said.

A source from the civil defence also reported that 128 bodies had been recovered from two graves inside a former army barracks that had been occupied by Jund al-Aqsa.

Earlier this month, Jund al-Aqsa and ANF clashed amid tensions over influence in Idlib province.

ANF was fighting alongside several allied groups in the new Tahrir al-Sham coalition, and the battles spread beyond Idlib to neighbouring Hama province.

Jund al-Aqsa fighters have pulled back to Hama and other areas, the Observatory said.