SUMMARY

One of the non-Syrian consequences of the Syrian civil war that began in 2011 has been the political destabilization of Syria's neighbors. Lebanon, when strong historical, cultural and political ties with Syria, was no exception. Thus, in Lebanon, sectarian tensions rose as the war in Syria took on a more communal character (pitting Alawites and Christians against the Sunni majority).

Syria has always been one of Hezbollah's staunchest supporters, providing the group with safe-havens, economic and military support (not least in the form of weaponry). At the beginning of 2013 the war was not playing out in favor of the Assad government, with several cities bordering Lebanon having been overrun by or under attack from Sunni rebel groups. In an attempt to turn the tide Hezbollah decided - at first covertly and later openly - to send its well-equipped and well-trained forces across the border in support of Assad. In the tense political environment of Lebanon this further strained relationships between Lebanon's Sunni and Shia communities.

Hezbollah's intervention in the Syrian war turned out to be positive for Assad, and Hezbollah fighters played an important part in several battles.

While Hezbollah thus came out openly in favor of supporting the Assad side in the war, several Lebanese Sunni clerics (mainly Salafi in leaning) spoke out against Assad, and both propagated in favor of supporting the rebel side as well as actually setting up groups to smuggle fighters and weapons to the Sunni rebels in Syria. In addition, some groups took it upon themselves to strike violently at Hezbollah, presumably with goals of either drawing Hezbollah into a Lebanese armed confrontation, or to persuade the group that it was not in its best interests to interfere in Syria.

One of these groups was the previously unknown group named Brigades of Aisha (or, the Aisha Brigades, or Aisha Battalion). The Brigades of Aisha took responsibility for two car bombings in the southern suburbs of Beirut; a well-known stronghold of Hezbollah.

The first car bomb exploded in the area of Bir el-Abed, wounding 53 people but causing no fatalities. The second one exploded on 15 August, killing 26 people. The Brigades of Aisha claimed responsibility in a video released 1,5 hours after the bombing.

In it, the Brigades of Aisha stated that the bombings were made in retaliation for Hezbollah's involvement in Syria in support of Assad. No other activity was recorded in that year.

The non-state conflict between the Brigades of Aisha and Hezbollah is first included in UCDP data in 2013. On the 15th of August that year a car bomb explosion resulted in 26 battle-related deaths.