Al-Qaeda paves way for break ties with Syria affiliate

July 28, 2016 23:52

Al-Qaeda prepared the ground today for a break with its Syrian affiliate, Al-Nusra Front, following several days of online chatter over a split between the jihadist groups.

"We direct the leadership of Al-Nusra Front to go ahead with what preserves the good of Islam and the Muslims, and protects the jihad of the Syrian people," Ahmed Hassan Abu al-Khayr said in an audio message released online by Al-Nusra.

"We urge them to take the appropriate steps towards thismatter," said Abu al-Khayr, who was identified as a deputy of Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Al-Nusra's media arm, Al Manara Al-Bayda, also announced that the group's head, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, was to deliver a speech and posted a picture showing him for the first time.

The image shows a smiling young man, with curly black hair and a beard, dressed in military fatigues and with a turban on his head.

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