Al-Qaeda Central Calls Muslims to Support Syrian Jihad with Men and Money, Fighters to Recreate "Army of Conquest"
Al-Qaeda Central (AQC) gave an urgent appeal to Muslims to support the Syrian Jihad with men and money, and advised Syria-based fighters to recreate the jihadi coalition "Army of Conquest".
In a statement published by the group's as-Sahab Media Foundation, and issued on August 15, 2019, AQC highlighted what Syrians are experiencing of death and displacement, and lamented that fighters remain involved in rivalries and bitter conflict with rival factions, preoccupied from the true battle. It told fighters: "Rise up to defense, sacrifice, and solidarity to fight the enemy and to save Sham from its jaws. Rise up to resist those who have betrayed Allah and His Messenger and were treacherous to the Ummah with their loyalty to the enemy". Addressing Muslims who already traveled to Syria, as well as those elsewhere, the group's General Command urged they offer whatever help they can, and recognize that the victory of the Syrian people is their victory, just as its defeat is theirs, also.
Following is a translation of the message:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
Qaedat al-Jihad – General Command
A Call to Mobilize and a Cry of Warning
To the righteous mujahideen brothers in the Sham [Syria] of garrison, who are patient amidst the suffering inflicted on them by the oppressors, and the lack of help; peace be upon you, and Allah’s mercy and blessings. And blessed greetings for your fighting for the Ummah and supporting it… and thereafter:
May Allah accept from us and you the good deeds from the past great days and the blessed Eid with goodness, honor, victory, and empowerment.
My blessed brothers, we have followed carefully with you what is happening in the Sham of garrison, in terms of affliction, death, and bombardment of houses of the secure ones on the people and children. This blatant aggression has pained us, and Allah knows, that if it were not for the obligatory jihad that has preoccupied us and you, and the remoteness of homelands from us and you, and the gloomy circumstances which we and you are passing through, you would have found us rushing to your victory, hastening to your help, and Allah is a witness to what we say.
My blessed brothers, you are defending today your persons, your sanctities, and your families, as well as for your religion, your Ummah, and your lands. The Ummah will witness your defense, on the day the revolution is extended and becomes more determined. Our advice is to mobilize, whether light [young and healthy] or heavy [old and infirm], to repel this oppressive aggressor, and to awaken and return to a charter like that of Jaysh al-Fath [Army of Conquest], and come to an agreement among you and your honorable partners, to repel this brutal enemy. Rise up to defense, sacrifice, and solidarity to fight the enemy and to save Sham from its jaws. Rise up to resist those who have betrayed Allah and His Messenger and were treacherous to the Ummah with their loyalty to the enemy.
O brothers, bury the differences in this difficult time, and dispense with the propaganda through which we curse each other, as it will not end until it breaks the bonds of our entities and our jihadi gatherings, and then it leaves a fire of enmity, which will not extinguished by sea water, and scars of grudges and hatred, which will not erased by the passage of days and then years.
O protectors of the religion, here you are; you have emerged from Islam at its pinnacle, so eliminate the imbalance, and soften the hands of your brothers, and do not give joy to devil and trust that those who reach the ranks of the brothers will be empowered by Allah. Beware of the international conspiracies that are woven for you. It is the evil and cunning of people, and their evil will not be deterred except by the full help of and trust in Allah the Almighty, as well as to study of their methods and identify their way in deception and cunning towards the contemporary jihadi renaissance. The experiences are repeated, and the way is one, no matter how many paths and the mastery of their means. Blessed are those who wipe out the treacherous projects and the heads of demons before the emergence of their horns.
Let us spend all our money on jihad in the cause of Allah. Let us open our weapons depots to all the mujahideen without looking for a party or organizational affiliation. Let us open the battles on all the fronts to disperse the capabilities of the enemy and cause its exhaustion and attrition. Beware of the people of harassment and advocates of evil stationed on social media, who have no concern but to spread sedition, insults, and curses, where most of them were not involved one day for the cause of Allah. (They are the enemy, so beware of them, and Allah will kill them)
Before this and that, we call on ourselves and everyone to truly repent, and rid ourselves of grievances, and ask for many forgiveness, as it is the path of victory. “And they said nothing but: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and our transgressions (in keeping our duties to You), establish our feet firmly, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk” [Al-Imran, 147].
O immigrants, there is no excuse for those who are unable to help and donate or mobilize for their brothers. Know that you did not gather in the land of Sham to build a school or to lead a mosque, but you have gathered to revive the honorable people, from the sons of your fathers, and to defend them. Their life is your life, and their honor is your honor, and their victory is your victory, just as their defeat is your defeat. Therefore, be committed to the covenant and the responsibility that is entrusted upon you. Know that the goodness of the people is from the goodness of the immigrants, and you are the dire need of Sham. So when will the people mobilize if the dire need is sitting and holding back?
O people of Sham and Islam everywhere: Beware, beware in these critical circumstances that you fail to support and abandon your brothers the mujahideen in the trenches of Sham. Beware that you say with your tongues when repelling the attacking enemy what is not in your hearts. By Allah, the word of Tawhid in Sham is screaming. It is screaming in you and manhood and the veins of brotherhood, and it is screaming the blood of the one religion and the wombs of one descent. So show Allah the goodness in you. Be assured that the best outcome is for His pious worshipers and loyal guardians, so be as such and with them. We ask Allah to help us to repel the enemy aggressor. Allah is behind the intent, and He is the guide on the path. May peace return to you, as Allah started with mercy to you and blessing on you.
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Dhul-Hijjah 1440H
August 2019M
