Konflikten i Syrien

Att regimen under dessa dagar har framställt sig som beskyddare av Palmyra är inte bara skrattretande utan också ett hån mot allt det som stadens invånare har fått utstå från diktaturen.
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De senaste dagarnas rapportering om Palmyra ger dock intryck av att det är först nu som staden attackeras. Så är det inte. Just Palmyra bär på en särskild tragisk historia. Runt årsskiftet 2012 pågick -civila protester och möten i området -nära ruinerna. Det var regimkritiker, oftast ungdomar som var löst organiserade som träffades. Den syriska militären svarade med att omringa staden för att skjuta på allt som rörde sig som ett vittne -berättade för nyhets-byrån AFP. För en beväpnad man som är redo att släcka ett liv utgör historiska byggnader knappt ett hinder. Vare sig för en -terrorist eller en man som -arbetar i diktaturens tjänst.

Al Nusrah Front leader Abu Muhammad Julani defended his organization’s role in the al Qaeda network during an interview that aired on Orient News TV on Dec. 12.
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One of the journalists in attendance pressed Julani on this issue when he asked if Al Nusrah’s relationship with al Qaeda risked “antagonizing the whole world.”

“No, no,” Julani responded. Nusrah “at this stage is only interested in fighting Bashar al Assad and Hezbollah” and they “antagonize the people of the Levant.” Julani elaborated by explaining that the al Qaeda organization “has various roles divided among various parties” and “not everyone has the same role.” Al Qaeda may have “people who are fighting the United States and operating in Europe,” but that is not Al Nusrah’s task.

Al Nusrah Front is an official regional branch of al Qaeda. As such, the organization is responsible for fighting in Syria.

During an interview with Al Jazeera earlier this year, Julani explained that al Qaeda emir (leader) Ayman al Zawahiri ordered Al Nusrah to abstain from attacking the West for the time being. Julani’s latest comments are consistent with his previous testimony. However, he did not mention the veteran al Qaeda members who were dispatched to Syria to lay the groundwork for international terrorist operations. Some of those same terrorists have also helped guide Al Nusrah’s strategy on the ground in Syria.

Julani did offer one scenario in which Al Nusrah would cease to be al Qaeda. If the jihadists win, and form the radical Islamic government they envision, then there will be no need for al Qaeda. Julani cited Zawahiri in his explanation.

..the United States designated Jabhat al-Nusra as a foreign terrorist organization, it has also been designated a terrorist organization by the United Nations Security Council, France, Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, United Arab Emirates, Russia, and Turkey.