The al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front says airstrikes carried out by the US and its allies will not defeat them in Syria, threatening reprisals against the countries joining the US-led coalition.
The leader of the terrorist group, Abu Mohammad al-Golani, on Sunday also urged American and European citizens to denounce Washington’s actions or risk moving the battle to the hearts of their homelands.
“Did you forget your numbers of injured and killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia? Did you forget the horror of September 11? Did you also forget the US navy ship Cole (attacked by bombers in Yemen) and the threatening of your interests in the region,” he said.
“I am asking the Western people if you have forgotten how much you have paid and are still paying from your money for your reckless wars, which will result in a great economic crisis?” Golani said.
Golani said the militants will eventually emerge as the winners of the war against the US-led coalition despite possible setbacks along the way.
He also called on Sunni Muslims in neighboring Lebanon to quit the army and join the ranks against the Syrian government.
The group was initially allied with the IS group, but the two later fell out and clashed frequently. Subsequently, they signed a non-aggression pact and there are now signs that the two terrorist groups may be moving closer together.
Since September 22, the US and its allies have been conducting airstrikes against the IS inside Syria without any authorization from Damascus or a UN mandate. The airstrikes are an extension of the US-led aerial campaign against IS positions in Iraq.
Meanwhile, most European governments have refrained from joining the US-led air campaign in Syria. This has prompted the US to resort to the air power of its Persian Gulf Arab allies, including Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Jordan.
