Dozens of Islamist Saudi clerics have called on Arab and Muslim countries to "give all moral, material, political and military" support to what they term a jihad, or holy war, against Syria's government and its Iranian and Russian backers.

Although the clerics who signed the online statement are not affiliated with the government, their strong sectarian and anti-Christian language reflects mounting anger among many Saudis over Russian and Iranian involvement in Syria's war.

Riyadh's state-affiliated clergy have already termed the war a jihad for Syrians, but they have also denounced ISIS and al-Qaeda and said that Saudi citizens must not go abroad to fight or give the rebels money except via government channels.

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