Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri declares war on ISIS; rubbishes caliphate

Al Qaeda chief Ayman al Zawahiri has declared war against Islamic State, says a report in The Mirror.

Declaring that ISIS chief Abu Bakr al Baghdadi was not the leader of all Muslims, Zawahiri has accused Baghdadi of sedition. 

Zawahiri made these remarks in a message released online. 

"We preferred to respond with as little as possible, out of our concern to extinguish the fire of sedition, but Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and his brothers did not leave us a choice, for they have demanded that all the mujahideen reject their confirmed pledges of allegiance, and to pledge allegiance to them for what they claim of a caliphate," Zawahiri said.

The Al Qaeda chief said Baghdadi had 'surprised everyone' by declaring a Caliphate and himself the Caliph. He slammed Baghdadi for doing this 'without consulting the Muslims.'

A few days ago however, Al Qaeda had said it would help ISIS kill 'secularists, crusaders and Shiites' in Syria and Iraq'. Thus, the new statement constitutes a U-turn of sorts by Al Qaeda.

Also Read: Al Qaeda to cooperate with ISIS in Syria in 'killing secularists, Shi'ites', says Ayman al-Zawahiri