Al-Zawahiri threat: al-Qaeda "ready to conquer" India and South Asia
Dubai (AsiaNews / Agencies) - The creation of a new branch of al-Qaeda in the Indian subcontinent, to "raise the banner of jihad" throughout South Asia, was announced last night by Ayman al-Zawahiri in a 55 minute video message. In the video, Zawahiri also renewed his allegiance to Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar, a gesture interpreted as an indirect repudiation of the Islamic State (IS).
In the video, al-Zawahiri describes the
formation of "al-Qaeda in
the Indian subcontinent" as good
news for the Muslims "in
Myanmar, Bangladesh, Assam,
Gujarat, Ahmedabad and Kashmir,"
because the new branch will save them
from injustice and oppression.
Some analysts see the Qaeda leader's announcement, as well as being an indirect
rejection of IS, as an challenge to the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Al-Zawahiri and Abu Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi - Islamic State leader, who proclaimed himself caliph - parted ways in 2013, after the beheadings, crucifixions and mass executions carried out by IS militants in Syria.
Al-Zawahiri also calls militias to unite and criticizes "discord", echoing accusations already launched by al-Qaeda against IS during clashes with rival Islamist groups in Syria. The Islamic leader calls on the new branch not to suppress the local population, another criticism of IS and what it is doing in Iraq and Syria.
"If
you said that you are doing jihad to defend the sanctities of the Muslims, - he
states in the message - then you must not transgress against them or their
money or honour, and not even transgress your mujahideen brothers by word and
action".
The Muslims in India account for only 15%
of a population of 1.2 billion people.
However, that numbers a total of 175 million faithful, making India's Muslim community
the third largest in the world.
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