New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- The Islamic State group has blasted Syria's interim president calling him a "puppet without a soul" controlled by Western countries, adding that his fate eventually will be similar to that of ousted leader Bashar Assad.

In an audio message released late Saturday by the group's spokesman, who identifies himself as Abu Huzaifa al-Ansari, he called on IS followers around the world to attack Jewish and Western targets as they have in past years.

Al-Ansari sent greetings to IS fighters from the group's leader Abu Hafs al-Hashemi al-Qurayshi who was named as the head of the group three years ago.

The audio is the first to be released by the group in months and comes after IS was blamed for attacks that left dozens dead ...