Al-Zawahiri message runs contrary to Al-Qaeda mission statement

TEHRAN, Feb. 19 (MNA) -- Al-Qaeda has always been regarded as one of the main threats to the peace and security of Syria. However, the recent video message by Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri and the subsequent terrorist attacks on innocent civilians provide analysts more clues about what is happening behind the curtain. From its inception, Al-Qaeda has claimed to be fighting against the United States’ hegemonistic policies in the Islamic world, and this was clearly manifested in the 9/11 suicide attacks on the U.S. After the incident, the group continued its struggle with the U.S. by joining the war against NATO troops in Afghanistan. Israel, as a proxy of the U.S. in the Middle East, is also detested by the Al-Qaeda leaders. However, Zawahiri’s recent video message to the Syrian opposition runs contrary to the group’s alleged mission statement. In the message, Al-Qaeda aligns with the U.S. in its efforts to topple the popular government of Syria, which is viewed as the number one supporter of the anti-Israeli resistance in the region. This is totally out of character for Al-Qaeda. Some observers point to the connections between the Syrian Salafis and the extremist Al-Qaeda fighters as the reason behind al-Zawahiri’s support for the Syrian opposition. However, this runs contrary to the group’s alleged main strategy, which is to fight against the United States’ efforts to establish hegemony over the Islamic world. The Syrian government now has an opportunity to boost its support among the Syrian people because Al-Qaeda is regarded as a terrorist group at the international level. But unfortunately, this latest turn of events may undermine some legitimate calls for reform by the Syrian opposition. The recent video message only encourages Syrian terrorist groups to spill more blood on the streets and to kill more innocent civilians in order to realize their objectives. This will make the prospects for a political solution to the current dispute in Syria gloomier.