Taking up his father's mantle: Bin Laden's son calls for 'jihad' against US, allies

Hamza bin Laden, son of slain al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, has urged followers of the group to wage ‘jihad’ on US and its allies.

In an audio message released by al Qaeda website, which it claimed to be from Osama’s son, Hamza called upon followers in Kabul, Baghdad and Gaza to wage war on Washington, London, Paris and Tel Aviv.

Read: Al Qaeda's Zawahiri pledges allegiance to new Taliban chief

This is the first time the militant group has presented Hamza as an official member of al Qaeda.

Hamza’s whereabouts are not known.

During the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, the Al-Jazeera network broadcast footage that appeared to show him among Taliban fighters in Afghanistan.

Since Osama Bin Laden was killed in a raid on his compound in Abbotabad in 2011, Ayman al-Zawahiri has been leading the group.

According to documents confiscated from bin Ladens' Abbottabad hideout by US forces, and released earlier this year, the al Qaeda supremo wanted to nurture Hamza as his successor in the group.

Hamza was due to travel to Abbottabad to join his father when US forces raided the hideout.

The article originally appeared on BBC