|
Trending Topics
|
Jihadist Leader Envisions an Islamic State in Syria
(New York Times) Anne Barnard - Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, leader of the Nusra Front, one of the most powerful jihadist groups in the Syrian insurgency, told Al Jazeera that he believed victory was near, and that his organization sought to establish an Islamic state. He viewed the peace talks set to begin in Switzerland next month as a plan to resuscitate the government of President Assad, and vowed that the Nusra Front would fight to prevent the negotiations. After carrying out numerous car bombings, the Nusra Front was blacklisted in 2012 by the U.S. as a terrorist organization. But in recent months Nusra has been eclipsed in many areas of the country by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, another group dominated by foreign jihadists that has tried to impose religious rule on civilians.