SUMMARY

Dawn of Freedom Brigades (Tajamu Alwiya Fajr al-Hurriya) originated as the Descendants of the Messengers Brigade (or Descendants of the Missionaries, Liwa Ahfad al Mursaleen), an offshoot of Ghuraba al-Sham, and included the Northern Sun Battalion and the Euphrates Knights Brigade. It changed its name to Dawn of Freedom Brigades in March of 2014.

The group was created and led by Nizar al-Khatib "Abu Laith" in July 2012. From the start of the anti-IS offensive at the start of 2014, it was actively engaged in fighting IS as part of various coalitions in northern Aleppo and Raqqah governorates (see Dawn of Freedom Brigades, Euphrates Islamic Liberation Front, Islamic Front, Jabhat al-Akrad, Liwa Thuwar ar-Raqqa – IS, Dawn of Freedom Brigades, Jabhat al-Akrad, Northern Storm Brigade – IS and Dawn of Freedom Brigades, Baz al-Islamiya, Islamic Front, Jabhat al-Akrad, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham, Liwa al-Sultan Murad, Majd al-Sham - IS). After being forced to seek refuge in Kurdish-controlled areas, it begun fighting as part of the PYD-led operations room Euphrates Volcano in September 2014. Dawn of Freedom Brigades became defunct in May 2015 when the Northern Sun Battalion left the group and formed Jaysh al-Thuwar.

Dawn of Freedom Brigades 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.