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The militant movement vowed to “fight” relentlessly.
Tensions in Syria have escalated sharply after ISIS announced a fresh campaign against the country’s leadership.
In an audio message released on Sunday, the group denounced President Ahmad Al Shara’s administration and called on supporters to intensify attacks.
The declaration comes as Damascus works to consolidate control over territory once dominated by Kurdish-led forces.
A new threat
According to The National, Abu Hudhayfa Al Ansari, speaking for ISIS, said Syria had entered a “new chapter” of conflict. He branded Mr Al Shara “a new despot” and warned his fate “will not be better” than that of former president Bashar Al Assad.
Al Ansari accused the current leadership of being aligned with Ankara and Washington. He claimed the previous authorities and their Iranian allies were “quickly replaced” by a government “subservient” to Washington and “beholden to the devils of Turks and the West”.
He also described the December 2024 offensive that brought Mr Al Shara to power as a Turkish operation “directed” by Washington, installing what he called a “dummy” leader.
“The new Syrian regime, with its secular government and national army are infidels and apostates”, Al Ansari said, urging followers to “seek to fight them relentlessly”.
Praised by Trump
After the fall of Syria’s former dictator, Bashar al-Assad, the former rebel commander, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, was appointet incumbent president of Syria.
Al-Sharaa has met with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White house, and in late January 2026, following a phone call between the two leaders, Donald Trump praised al-Sharaa and said, he is “very happy” with the developments in Syria, Al Jazeera reported at the time.
Following the first meeting between the two men, Donald Trump announced a relief in sanctions against Syria, stating it was meant to encourage Syria to normalize relations with Israel, according to a Chatham House commentary posted in May 2025.
Sources: The National, official Syrian and Iraqi statements, Al Jazeera, Chatham House
