Syria's Qaeda chief warns West against continued strikes
29 أيلول 2014 13:06
The head of Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate warned on Sunday that failure to stop US-led air strikes on jihadist positions in Syria would "transfer the battle" to Western countries.
In an audio message posted on the Internet, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who heads Al-Nusra Front in Syria, addressed citizens "in America and Europe" and called on them to stand against their governments.
"Your leaders will not pay the price for the war alone, you will pay the higher price," Jolani warned.
The United States initially launched strikes in Iraq on August 8 against positions of the Islamic State jihadist group, and then widened its campaign with a coalition of partners last Tuesday to include Syria, where IS has its headquarters.
The coalition has carried out daily air strikes since Tuesday against IS and Al-Nusra Front in Syria.
Failure to stop these strikes "will transfer the battle to your very homes," Jolani said.
Jolani did not say elaborate.
But he said: "People of America and Europe, what have you gained from your war against Muslims and jihadists except tragedies and pain brought on your countries and children?".
Jolani's warning comes a day after a spokesman of the same group also threatened reprisals against nations participating in air strikes, denouncing them as "a war against Islam".
In an audio message posted on the Internet, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, who heads Al-Nusra Front in Syria, addressed citizens "in America and Europe" and called on them to stand against their governments.
"Your leaders will not pay the price for the war alone, you will pay the higher price," Jolani warned.
The United States initially launched strikes in Iraq on August 8 against positions of the Islamic State jihadist group, and then widened its campaign with a coalition of partners last Tuesday to include Syria, where IS has its headquarters.
The coalition has carried out daily air strikes since Tuesday against IS and Al-Nusra Front in Syria.
Failure to stop these strikes "will transfer the battle to your very homes," Jolani said.
Jolani did not say elaborate.
But he said: "People of America and Europe, what have you gained from your war against Muslims and jihadists except tragedies and pain brought on your countries and children?".
Jolani's warning comes a day after a spokesman of the same group also threatened reprisals against nations participating in air strikes, denouncing them as "a war against Islam".