BEIRUT (Reuters) - The leader of al Qaeda's Syria wing Nusra Front said his group was aiming to capture Damascus and the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would happen quickly.

"We will continue our focus on Damascus and on toppling this regime," Abu Mohamad al-Golani told news channel Al Jazeera in a rare interview aired on Wednesday.

"I assure you, Assad's fall won't take a long time."

He also said Lebanese Shi'ite group Hezbollah, which backs Assad, knew its fate was linked to the Syrian leader and its efforts to save him were in vain.