The leader of Jabhat al-Nusra, a militant jihadist group in Syria, announced that the organisation will be breaking away from al-Qaeda and changing its name, in a move designed to halt attacks from the US-led coalition in Syria.

The group, also known as the al-Nusra Front, announced the decision in a video released on Thursday.

“We have stopped operating under the name of Nusra Front and formed a new body ... This new formation has no ties with any foreign party,” said leader Abu Mohamed al-Jolani, stating his organisation would now be called Jabhat Fatah al-Sham – the front for the liberation of al-Sham.

The move was an attempt “to remove the excuse used by the international community – spearheaded by America and Russia – to bombard and displace Muslims in the Levant: that they are targeting the Nusra Front, which is associated with al-Qaeda”, he said.

Al-Qaeda appear to have sanctioned the move with their leader Ayman al-Zawahri, giving Nusra his blessings. Jolani thanked him in his announcement for putting Syrian concerns ahead of organisational differences.

The United States responded by saying the organisation, which has been proscribed as a terrorist group by Washington, remains a legitimate military target.

“We're gonna have to wait and see," said State Department spokesperson John Kirby. "We judge a group by what they do, not by what they call themselves."

The Guardian quoted a British official as also saying the group poses a threat to security.

“They have learned a lot from al-Qaida in that they play a much longer game than Isis,” the official said. “They do community outreach better, and they bring people along better. They are very patient.”