Nusra Front, a radical group, is one of the most powerful forces fighting Syrian government forces in an increasingly complex conflict that Russia’s intervention has only worsened.

The head of Syria’s al-Qaeda linked Nusra Front has urged on Monday to escalate attacks on the strongholds of President Bashar al Assad’s minority Alawite sect in retaliation for what he said was the indiscriminate killing of Sunni Muslims by invading Russians.

The audio message from Nusra Front leader Abu Mohamad al-Golani, posted on YouTube, said Russia’s military intervention since last week was aimed at saving Assad’s rule from collapse but was “doomed to fail, as had previous Iranian and Hezbollah military support.”

“There is no choice but to escalate the battle and to target Alawite towns and villages in Latakia and I call on all factions to … hit their villages daily with hundreds of missiles as they do to Sunni cities and villages,” Golani said.

Nusra Front, a radical group, is one of the most powerful forces fighting Syrian government forces in an increasingly complex conflict that Russia’s intervention has only worsened.

Russia has dramatically intensified its bombing campaign in recent days and has said its heavy bombing campaign had struck many Nusra and ISIS targets in Syria from ammunition depots to training camps to military bases.

Golani, describing the Russian intervention as a new Christian crusade from the East, said it came only after a “string of victories made by the mujahedeen” threatened Assad’s rule.

“The war in Sham (Syria) will make the Russians forget the horrors of what they faced in Afghanistan. The new Russian invasion is the last dart in the weaponry of the enemies of Muslims and the enemies of Syria,” he said.

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