SUMMARY
The Islamic Front was formed on 22 November 2013 as an umbrella organization for seven of the largest Islamist-leaning factions across Syria. Its largest component group was Ahrar al-Sham, a Salafist movement which often cooperated closely with al-Qaida-linked Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (at the time known as Jabhat al-Nusra). Ahrar al-Sham had local affiliates which were active in twelve of Syria’s fourteen governorates (all except Suwayda and Tartus) and was considered one of the most powerful groups in Syria. Other significant factions were Jaysh al-Islam, which was the largest group in Damascus and its countryside, and al-Tawhid Brigade, which at the formation of the Islamic Front was one of the strongest factions in Aleppo governorate. The Islamic Front’s other constituent part were the Idlib-based Suqour al-Sham Brigades, Homs-based Liwa al-Haq, Idlib and Latakia-based Ansar al-Sham, and the Kurdish Islamic Front, which had a small presence spread out in the Kurdish populated regions close to the Turkish border.
The leader of Suqour al-Sham Brigades, Ahmed Issa al-Sheikh, became the leader of the Islamic Front’s Shura Council, with Jaysh al-Islam’s leader, Zahran Alloush, as its military commander and Hassan Abboud, leader of Ahrar al-Sham, as the head of the political bureau. At its formation in 2013, the Islamic Front was estimated to have something in the range of 45, 000 to more than 55, 000 fighters, probably making it the largest non-state actor in Syria, except possibly for IS. Despite hefty goals of fully merging all its factions, the Islamic Front remained a rather shaky union, with the component groups’ various local branches varying widely in how integrated they were within the Front. Whilst the Aleppo branches fully merged, abandoning their separate names and logotypes, local branches in many other areas retained largely separate identities, with Jaysh al-Islam especially remaining distinct.
The Islamic Front was formed with the stated aim to topple the Assad regime and build an Islamic state, and is coded as part of Syrian insurgents in the conflict over government in Syria. The Islamic Front actor was, however, also heavily involved in several non-state conflicts, mostly fighting IS in various coalitions. In January 2014, the Islamic Front joined several other factions in an effort to push IS out of Syria. In Aleppo and Idlib it was part of the IS - Islamic Front, Mujahideen Army, SRF fighting. In Raqqah it fought in IS - Islamic Front, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Liwa al-Jihad fi Sabeel Allah, Liwa Thuwar ar-Raqqa and Euphrates Islamic Liberation Front, Islamic Front, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Liwa Thuwar ar-Raqqa - IS. In Deir ez Zor it participated in Authenticity and Development Front, Islamic Front, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham - IS and IS - Mujahideen Shura Council. It also fought alongside Jabhat Fateh al-Sham in IS - Islamic Front, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham.
By March 2015, most of the smaller component parts had ceased to exist, with the Kurdish Islamic Front, Liwa al-Haq and Suqour al-Sham Brigades having been absorbed into Ahrar al-Sham. Al-Tawhid Brigade had also collapsed at this point, after gradually weakening and fracturing during 2014, with various battalions joining different groups. The remaining factions of Ahrar al-Sham, Ansar al-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam largely ceased using the Front branding and structures in 2015, instead reestablishing themselves as independent actors. The Islamic Front is thus treated as having become defunct in March 2015.
Islamic Front has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence. It is also considered part of the Syrian insurgents active in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
Syrian Revolutionaries’ Front (SRF) was a coalition of secularist and nationalist factions formed during the Syrian Civil War. It was formed on 9 December 2013, often perceived as an attempt to stem the growing Islamist influence within the Syrian opposition, particularly following the consolidation of Islamist forces within the Islamic Front. SRF retained its allegiance to the Supreme Military Council, the nominal highest command of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), at a time when the Council and the FSA appeared to have very little influence on the ground. SRF was a key instigator in the coordinated anti-IS offensives launched in Idlib and Aleppo on 3 January 2014 (see IS - Islamic Front, Mujahideen Army, SRF).
At its formation SRF was one of the largest groups active in Idlib, particularly in the Jabal az Zawiyah area. It also had a presence in Aleppo, Hamah and Homs. Over time, several other smaller factions joined, including some forming a southern branch of the group in Daraa and Quneitra governorates. The group was originally composed by the following groups: Syrian Martyrs' Brigade, Idlib Military Council, Ahrar al-Zawia Brigades, Ansar Brigades, Coming Victory Brigades, Seventh Division, Ninth Division of Aleppo, Farouq al-Shamal Battalions, Ghab Wolves Brigade, Idlib Martyrs’ Brigade, Ahrar al-Shamal Brigade, Riyad al-Salehin Battalions of Damascus, Farouq Battalions of Hama and Special Assignments Regiment of Damascus.
SRF was led by Jamal Maarouf, a Syrian nationalist well-known for his leadership of the Syrian Martyrs’ Brigade. The Syrian Martyrs’ Brigade had previously been a formidable faction in its own right, but had been in decline and had lost much of its support at the time when the SRF was formed, due to the perception of it as being corrupt, with its rivals depicting it as little more than highway robbers. Jamal Maarouf himself was given the unenviable nickname of “Jamal Makhlouf” in reference to Assad’s infamously corrupt cousin, Rami Makhlouf.
In July 2014, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (at the time known as Jabhat al-Nusra) declared an Islamic Emirate in Idlib, and launched several so-called ‘anti-corruption’ operations targeting SRF forces in the area. After several rounds of fighting in July and October-November, SRF was forced to withdraw from its former stronghold, with Jamal Maarouf being forced to flee to Turkey (see Jabhat Fateh al-Sham – SRF and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Liwa al-Aqsa – SRF). This marked a definitive weakening of the group, with most of its northern branches defecting to other groups. The southern branch of SRF joined the Southern Front’s First Army on 1 January 2015, effectively making the SRF defunct.
SRF has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence. It is also considered part of the Syrian insurgents active in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
Jabhat al-Akrad (Kurdish Front) was a rebel group and participant in the Syrian Civil War as a part of the Syrian insurgents. The group was created on 22 January 2013 in Ar Raqqah Governorate by Kurdish and Arab defectors from the Syrian army, initially as part of the rebel group Liwa Ahrar Souriya, though it left that group and became an independent actor in on 20 February 2013. Jabhat al-Akrad was allied with PYD since its formation in 2013, which led to its expulsion from FSA on the 15 August 2013 amid accusations of it being a PYD affiliate. Jabhat al-Akrad fought for a democratic and pluralistic Syria and to defend all Kurds outside Syrian Kurdistan as well as "all those who demand help". Their operations took place in the whole Syrian territory, in contrast to their ally, the also mainly Kurdish PYD, which only fought in Syrian Kurdistan (Rojava) and its surroundings; however, their main area of operation was amongst the Kurdish populated areas in northern Aleppo and Raqqah.
During 2013, Jabhat al-Akrad fought against IS and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (at the time called Jabhat al-Nusra) in Tall Abyad in Raqqah (see Jabhat al-Akrad, PYD - IS, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham) and Safirah in Aleppo (see Jabhat al-Akrad - IS, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham). It participated in the major anti-IS offensive that begun in January 2014, and fought IS in a variety of constellations, including IS - Islamic Front, Jabhat al-Akrad, Liwa Thuwar ar-Raqqa, Dawn of Freedom Brigades, Jabhat al-Akrad, Northern Storm Brigade - IS and Dawn of Freedom Brigades, Euphrates Islamic Liberation Front, Islamic Front, Jabhat al-Akrad, Liwa Thuwar ar-Raqqa - IS.
On 3 May 2015, Jabhat al-Akrad together with the SRF and the main component of the Dawn of Freedom Brigades formed the coalition Jaysh al-Thuwar, which fought as part of the Euphrates Volcano operations room. On this date, Jabhat al-Akrad thus ceased to exist as an independent organization. Jaysh al-Thuwar soon thereafter, in October, joined PYD-led SDF coalition.
The first leader of Jabhat al-Akrad was Abu Layla, previously commander in FSA, who lead the group until 2014 and later served as commander in SDF until his death in 2016. He was succeeded by Hajji Ahmed Kurdi.
Jabhat al-Akrad has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence. It is also considered part of the Syrian insurgents active in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
The Mujahideen Army (Jaysh al-Mujahideen) was an alliance formed during the civil war in Syria on 2 January 2014 with the goal of defeating the Islamic State (IS) in Aleppo. As such it was a leading faction in the anti-IS offensive that begun in January 2014 (see IS - Islamic Front, Mujahideen Army, SRF. It was based in the countryside of western Aleppo, mainly around Atarib, but participated in fighting IS on several more fronts in northern Syria.
The alliance was composed by the following groups: Nour al-Din al-Zenki, Fastaqim Union, 19th Division, Islamic Freedom Brigade, Battalion of the Martyr Muhammad Sha'ban, Farouq Battalion, 5th Battalion, Revolutionaries of Atarib Gathering, Atarib Martyrs Brigade, Battalion of the Martyr Alaa al-Ahmad, Central Force for the City of Atarib, Ansar al-Haqq Battalion, Loyalty to God Battalion, Shells of Justice Brigade. At the time of its formation it was estimated to have around 5,000 fighters, making it a prominent fighting force in Aleppo.
Its largest member group was Nour al-Din al-Zenki, which was also a part of the Authenticity and Development Front, but fought as part of the Mujahideen Army in Aleppo during the 2014 anti-IS offensive. Mujahideen Army was greatly weakened when Nour al-Din al-Zenki left the alliance in May 2014, and thereafter stopped playing as prominent role in the opposition. On 6 May 2015, the Mujahideen Army joined the Fatah Halab joint operations room. The group finally dissolved after merging into Ahrar al-Sham on 24 January 2017, after being defeated by HTS.
The Mujahideen Army had a joint leadership including Lt. Col. Abu Bakr, Captain Mohammed Shakerdi and Nour al-Din Zinki commander Sheikh Tawfiq Shahabuddin. The Mujahideen Army branded themselves as an FSA group and received US backing. It was originally a moderately Islamist oriented movement which opposed conflict with any other factions than IS, including al-Qaida linked Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (at the time known as Jabhat al-Nusra). It would, however, later also fight the Kurdish-led SDF as part of the Fatah Halab operations room.
The Mujahideen Army has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence. It is also considered part of the Syrian insurgents active in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organized violence.
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham (Front for the Conquest of the Levant), commonly known as Jabhat al-Nusra or al-Nusra only, was one of several jihadi groups to enter the Syrian scene to fight against Bashar al-Assad and the Government of Syria. Even though al-Nusra was not the largest it soon became the most noticed group and remained an important actor on the Syrian scene. In July 2016, leader al-Julani changed the name of the group from Jabhat al-Nusra to Jabhat Fatah al-Sham. Since January 2017, al-Nusra is part of the alliance Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Al-Nusra advocated a new Syrian order, based on a vision of a globally reaching Islamic caliphate and ruled by Sharia-legislation, and was explicitly anti-Western. Its rhetoric was greatly sectarian, and full of Salafi-jihadi references.
The origins of al-Nusra can be traced back to the turmoil in Iraq during the early 2000s. What would become al-Nusra developed from a network run by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi dedicated to send jihadist fighters to Iraq via Syria. In 2007, the Syrian regime reevaluated its stance towards Iraq and subsequently struck down on the network which moved into Iraq. The loosely organized network remained in Iraq until late 2011/early 2012 when it reemerged as Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria.
When it emerged, there were speculations regarding the groups authenticity. Some within the opposition suggested the regime was behind attacks carried out by the group, as a way to bolster its claims of facing an opposition of Salafi terrorists, to wean support for the mainstream opposition, and to instill fear among Western countries and the minorities in Syria.
There are different reports concerning al-Nusra's relationship with the Free Syrian Army (FSA), with information suggesting that al-Nusra's hardline jihadi stance caused a reluctance to cooperate with FSA, whose approach was more nationalist and not opposed to Western assistance.
In September 2013, al-Nusra was among 13 rebel outfits which declared their rejection of the Syrian National Coalition, which enjoys the support of the FSA.
However, the UCDP has registered cooperation between FSA and al-Nusra, and other sources say that cooperation between al-Nusra and FSA did take place.
Al-Nusras relationship with al-Qaeda has been discussed. In terms of tactics, rhetoric and targets, its similarities to ISI (Islamic State in Iraq) also known as AQI (al-Qaeda in Iraq) were noted. Al-Qaeda's network for media distribution endorsed al-Nusra propaganda. In April 2013, the leader of ISI announced that his group and al-Nusra had merged and would be known as ISIS (Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham/Syria). However, the al-Nusra leader shortly thereafter denied this, and instead confirmed al-Nusra's allegiance to al-Qaeda central's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri.
In terms of strategies employed, al-Nusra was known for its use of suicide bombings. Information indicates that the group sought to avoid civilian casualties in its attacks, which earned them more popularity among Syrians, although many feared their radical ideology.
Al-Nusra has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence. It is also considered part of the "Syrian insurgents" active in the intrastate and one-sided categories of UCDP organised violence. Since January 2017, al-Nusra is part of the alliance Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
