Washington: Al Qaeda Chief Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri has praised anti-government protestors in Syria in a video released Wednesday, news agencies reported.
Al-Qaeda’s new chief claimed that the United States is seeking regime change in Damascus and wanted to replace Syrian regime with a new government that follows the US and takes care of Israel’s interests and grants the nation some freedom.
Dr Zawahiri hailed the anti-regime protesters for what he said, teaching lessons to the aggressor, the oppressor, the traitor, the disloyal and standing up against his oppression.
He expressed regret that he and his fighters could not join ordinary Syrians in their uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which has responded with a brutal crackdown that has left at least 1,486 civilians dead since mid-March, according to rights groups.
Instead, Zawahiri said the ongoing war between the United States and its allies against al Qaeda, along with the “barriers and borders” between Arab and Muslim countries was preventing him from joining the struggle in Syria.
“If it were not for that – my brothers and I would have been amongst you and with you, defending you with our lives,” Zawahiri said in the video which appeared to be dated from June.
