Terrorist Group al-Qaida Warns China Over Uyghurs, Prompting Rejections and Raising Questions Over Motives

By Ozgur Uyghur | Dec 25, 2025

Al-Qaida has issued a rare public statement referencing China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims, prompting concern among observers over how such rhetoric may be used to distort Uyghur activists.

Key Points:

• The statement claimed al-Qaida was “monitoring” China’s actions toward Uyghurs.
• It included threats and religious language typical of al-Qaida propaganda.
• No direct operational actions against China were announced.

The statement, attributed to Sa’ad bin Atef al-Awlaki, leader of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), warned China over its policies toward Uyghur Muslims. The message appeared as part of a broader communication that also praised violent attacks abroad before turning its focus to China.

The portion of the statement referring to Uyghurs reads as follows:

“The Chinese regime (the pagan infidel) must realize well that we are monitoring every movement it makes against our brothers among the Uyghur Muslims.We promise it—if it does not cease its behavior and practices—that the day will come when we will hold it accountable for everything it has committed against them. We will go further than targeting interests by land and sea…Indeed, tomorrow is near for those who wait for it.”So wait; we, too, are waiting with you.(Quranic Citation)”

Salih Hudayar, Foreign & Security Minister of @ETExileGov said:

Al-Qaida has historically focused its rhetoric and operations on Western countries, particularly the United States, and on conflicts in the Middle East, South Asia, and Africa. China has not been a primary target of al-Qaida activity, despite long-standing international awareness of the Uyghur human rights situation.

Uyghur organizations and civil society groups have consistently and publicly rejected al-Qaida and all forms of violent extremism, emphasizing peaceful advocacy rooted in human rights and international law.

Chinese authorities have previously cited statements by extremist groups to portray Uyghur activism as linked to terrorism, a narrative widely disputed by researchers and human rights organizations

Al-Awlaki is regarded as a key AQAP leader for pursuing a strategy that combines local operations in Yemen with alignment to al-Qaida’s central leadership, maintaining the group’s regional influence and external threat. On July 29, the U.S. State Department increased its reward to $10 million for information leading to the capture of al-Awlaki, identifying him as AQAP’s most wanted leader.