In what was said to be his first-ever media interview, Abu Mohammed al Julani, the leader of the Al Nusrah Front, claimed that his fighters have now won 70 percent of the battle, and that the conflict will soon be over. Julani said the group was fighting to establish an Islamic state under sharia in Syria. He also said that Al Nusrah “rebuke[s] those who go to extremes in declaring takfir of people,” distancing the group from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Sham, and claimed that the Syrian National Coalition has “no presence on the ground.” Syria’s deputy foreign minister said no one should dictate whether Assad can run for re-election; Russia’s deputy foreign minister cautioned that all sides should avoid fanning tensions before the Geneva II talks.
