Al-Nusra Front or Jabhat al-Nusra ( Jabhat an-Nuṣrah li-Ahl ash-Shām, "The Support Front for the People of Levant") is an Al Qaeda associate operating in Syria. The group announced its creation on 23 January 2012 during the Syrian civil war. It is described as "the most aggressive and successful arm of the rebel force." The group was designated by the United Nations, the United States in December 2012, Australia in June 2013 and the United Kingdom in July 2013 as a terrorist organisation. In April 2013, the leader of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant released an audio statement announcing that Jabhat al-Nusra is its branch in Syria. The leader of Al Nusra, Abu Mohammad al-Jawlani, denied the merger but affirmed their allegiance to Al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri. By May 2013, a fa