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Supporters of al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, have broken with other Syrian opposition groups to express support for Friday's deadly attacks in Paris, despite the group's official hostility to the Islamic State (IS).

"We are happy if a deviant sect successfully executes an operation against the Kufaar (infidels)" read a statement released by one member (from a Twitter account since deleted) over the weekend, adding it would have preferred that al-Nusra had carried out such an attack.

"Scholars like Ibn Taymiyyah have explained this topic: we choose the most guided from two sides."

Another al-Nusra spokesperson also praised the earlier attacks in Beirut, while cautioning against support for IS.

"I am still saying that ISIS are a riding mount of the tyrants and that they are the dogs of hellfire," wrote a spokesperson, Sheikh Abu Mariyah al-Qahtani, on Monday, using an alternative acronym for IS.

"And that they are the ones who ruined the jihad in Iraq and Syria. And that they kill the Sunnis. But I was happy with their strikes against Hizbu Shaytaan," he said, referring to Hezbollah - members of whom were based in the Beirut district that was bombed on Thursday - with the Arabic word for Satan.

"If ISIS killed one hundred Frenchman then they have killed from Jabhat Nusra and the rest of the factions thousands of Mujahideen," he added.