Al-Qaeda is starting its own rival Islamic state in a direct challenge to ISIS in war-torn Syria

The terror group's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has backed a plan to create its own 'caliphate' in the country as a direct challenge to ISIS.

Although it has lost land in both Syria and Iraq, ISIS still holds large parts of the two countries where as many 10 million people live under their control.

Osama bin Laden's successor, al-Zawahiri, announced the plan in a speech posted online.

There have been reports that Al-Qaeda commanders have been sent to north-west Syria to begin their operation.

The terror group's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri has backed a plan to create its own 'caliphate' in the country as a direct challenge to ISIS

Saif al-Adel, a veteran Egyptian jihadist, seen as his deputy and operational field commander, is one of the men who has been sent.

He was reported as being held under house arrest in Iran until he was released late last year.

The Jabhat al-Nusra terror group, which is allied to Al-Qaeda, would be responsible for the plan to take territory in Syria.

ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi set up the group but it split from him in 2013. It is known for being particularly brutal in enforcing Sharia Law.

The US and its allies are concerned it could use Syria to launch attacks on the West like bin Laden did in Afghanistan.

Al-Qaeda has been concerned Jabhat al-Nusra could be persuaded by Gulf states like Qatar to sever ties with them and disband in return for aid.

Zawahiri said he was 'proud' of Jabhat al-Nusra and its link to al-Qaeda in the video.

According to the Daily Telegraph, he said: 'If they create their government, and choose their emir, what they choose is our choice.'

He criticised ISIS and compared them to a centuries old Islamic group, Khawarij, which was brutal against fellow Muslims.

'The Islamic nation in Greater Syria has backed [al-Nusra], realising the difference between the correctness of its methods and the methods of the new Khawarij,' he said.

Thousands of people have died in the Syrian civil war which has been going on for five years



