Syria al-Nusra vows loyalty to US- led al-Qaeda

The leader of the foreign-backed al-Nusra terrorist group fighting against the Syrian government has pledged allegiance to the al-Qaeda chief, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

According to Press TV, Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, head of the terrorist al-Nusra Front, made the announcement in an audio message published on Wednesday.
His remarks came a day after the leader of al-Qaeda-inspired Islamic State of Iraq network, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, announced merger with the al-Nusra Front to play an even greater role in the crisis plaguing Syria.
Baghdadi said in a recording, “It is time to declare to the Levant and to the world that the al-Nusra Front is simply a branch of the Islamic State of Iraq.”
Jawlani further admitted that he had fought alongside al-Qaeda’s branch in Iraq, saying he is “proud” of the terrorist group’s flag in the country.
However, he added that the al-Nusra Front was not “consulted” on Baghdadi’s comments regarding a merger with the terrorist group.
Meanwhile, former leader of Syria’s opposition National Coalition Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib tried to distance the bloc from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front following Baghdadi’s statement, saying, “There has never been and there will never be a decision at the command level to coordinate with al-Nusra.”