Terror group: ‘Crusaders against crusaders’ will have ‘major consequences’ for West Russia, Ukraine members of different anti-Daesh coalitions LONDON: Daesh has described the Russia-Ukraine conflict as “divine punishment” for the West, and expressed hope that it will cause great harm to the “enemies of Islam.” In its Al-Naba newsletter, Daesh said the conflict pitted “crusaders against crusaders.” It urged its supporters and Muslims worldwide not to pick sides in the conflict, which it said would have “major consequences” for the West regardless of the result. “Whether long or short, this Russian-Ukrainian war is but the beginning of the next wars between the Crusader countries, and the images of destruction and death we see are but a small scene of the situation in which the great wars begin,” the newsletter said. Daesh, which dominated large parts of Iraq and Syria for much of the last decade, said it was unsurprised by the conflict, citing “escalating competition between America and Russia to control the countries of Eastern Europe.” Russian President Vladimir Putin formed an alliance with his Syrian counterpart Bashar Assad against Daesh. Ukraine is a member of the global anti-Daesh coalition.