On Thursday, a video was aired of Mohammed Jolani, the leader of Nusra Front, outlawed in Russia and numerous other countries, saying the group had split from al-Qaeda and changed its name to Jabhat Fath al Sham, or "The Front for Liberation of al Sham."
"The objective behind the game is to remove the group from terrorism list, but the ugly image of extremism and terrorism cannot be whitewashed through such moves… Such measures are a sign of the political bankruptcy of the extremists’ regional supporters headed by Saudi Arabia as the father and principal supporter of al-Qaeda, Taliban, Daesh (ISIL or ISIS), al-Nusra Front and many other terrorist groups, particularly in Syria," Qassemi said on Thursday night, as quoted by Tasnim News Agency.
Nusra Front, as well as other extremist groups, has been fighting in Syria against government forces since the outbreak of a civil war in the country in 2011.
