Militants fighting for the Al Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front in Syria have released images showing them posing with American anti-tank missiles captured from Western-backed rebels. The terrorists are seen wearing military fatigues as they pose with deadly American-made BGM-71 TOW missiles in a warehouse in Atarib, a town 15 miles west of the city of Aleppo. The showboating images show the masked militants pointing to America logos on cardboard boxes filled with food and weapons, which were seized when the Western-backed moderate rebel group Harakat Hazm recently disbanded and allowed their headquarters to be overrun with  jihadis. The emergence of the photographs comes as Nusra Front militants announced they are considering splitting with Al Qaeda in order to create an antonymous terror organisation that can rival the Islamic State's reign of terror in Syria and Iraq. Showboating: The terrorists are seen wearing military fatigues as they pose with deadly American-made BGM-71 TOW missiles in a warehouse in Atarib, a town 15 miles west of the city of Aleppo . Taunting: The American food and weapon supplies are now in the hands of Al Qaeda-backed terrorists, who used social media to goad the U.S. military . The warehouse in Atarib had been held by members of Harakat Hazm since November but the fall of a nearby former government military base known as Base 46 led to the rebel militia declaring its disbandment last week. The United States military had provided Harakat Hazm with vast shipments of weapons and food supplies in recent months, according to the International Business Times. With the Nusra Front  having now seized control of Harakat Hazm-held buildings and territory, these supplies are now in the hands of Al Qaeda-backed terrorists, who used social media to goad the U.S. military. 'Thanks be to God, Allah let the Mujaheddin take these weapons after we fought the traitors [Harakat Hazm],' a Nusra Front-linked Twitter account boasted. 'Tens of American TOW missiles became for the Mujaheddin,' the message added, alongside pictures of militants pointing at the stamped boxes that prove the products are U.S.-made. Vast: The supplies were seized when the Western-backed moderate rebel group Harakat Hazm recently disbanded and allowed their headquarters to be overrun with jihadis . The photographs emerged as Nusra Front leaders announced they are considering cutting their links with Al Qaeda in order to form a new entity backed by Gulf states. Sources within and close to Nusra said that Qatar, which enjoys good relations with the group, is encouraging the terrorists to go ahead with the move, which would boost the militants' funding. The exercise could transform Nusra from a weakened militia group into a force capable of taking on Islamic State at a time when it is under pressure from bombing raids and advances by Kurdish and Iraqi military forces. It could also boost the influence of Qatar and its allies in the campaign to oust Assad, in line with the Gulf state's growing diplomatic ambitions in the region. Qatari officials were not available for comment. Extremists: Nusra Front militants (pictured) announced they are considering splitting with Al Qaeda in order to create an antonymous terror organisation that can rival the Islamic State's reign of terror in Syria and Iraq . Intelligence officials from Gulf states including Qatar have already met Nusra Front's leader Abu Mohamad al-Golani several times in a effort to encourage him to abandon Al Qaeda, sources say. They promised funding once it happens. 'A new entity will see the light soon, which will include Nusra and Jaysh al Muhajereen wel Ansar and other small brigades,' said Muzamjer al-Sham, a prominent jihadi figure who is close to Nusra Front and other Islamist groups in Syria. 'The name of Nusra will be abandoned. It will disengage from Al Qaeda. But not all the Nusra emirs agree and that is why the announcement has been delayed,' said Sham. The Qatari-led bid to rebrand Nusra and to provide it with new support could further complicate the war in Syria as the United States prepares to arm and train non-jihadist rebels to fight Islamic State. Nusra Front is listed as a terrorist group by the U.S. and has been sanctioned by the UN Security Council. But for Qatar at least, rebranding Nusra would remove legal obstacles to supporting it.
Nusra Front militants seized American weapons and food supplies in Syria . Products were provided to the Western-backed rebel group Harakat Hazm . But the rebels disbanded last week and their warehouses were overrun . Images emerged as Nusra Front announced plans to leave Al Qaeda . Rebel group is considering the split to attract Qatari financiers who could help the militants create a terror organisation to rival ISIS .