May 9, 2016

The son of Al-Qaeda's late founder Osama bin Laden has urged jihadists in Syria to unite, claiming that the fight in the war-torn country paves the way to "liberating Palestine".

"The Islamic umma (nation) should focus on jihad in Al-Sham (Syria) ... and unite the ranks of mujahedeen there," said 23-year-old Hamza in an audio message posted online.

"There is no longer an excuse for those who insist on division and disputes now that the whole world has mobilised against Muslims," he said.

His undated message comes after Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri also urged jihadists in Syria to unite, despite his continued rejection of the rival Islamic State (IS) group and its proclaimed caliphate.

"The matter of unity today is one of life and death," Zawahiri said in an audio message posted online on Saturday.