Jaysh al-Islam

Not to be confused with Army of Islam (Gaza Strip).
Jaysh al-Islam
جيش الإسلام
Participant in the Syrian Civil War

Official logo of Jaysh al-Islam

Official Islamic Front Flag
Active 2011–2013 (as Liwa al-Islam)
2013–present (as united faction)
Ideology

Sunni Islamism[1]

Leaders

Sheikh Zahran Alloush †[2]

Essam al-Buwaydhani (2015-present)[3]
Headquarters Damascus[4]
Area of operations Arsal, Lebanon[5]
Damascus, Rif Dimashq, and Homs Governorate,[6] Syria
Strength 17,000 - 25,000[7][8]
(May 2015) (Rebel claim)
Part of Islamic Front[9]
Mujahideen Shura Council[10]
Syrian Revolutionary Command Council[11]
Fatah Halab[12]
Unified Military Command of Eastern Ghouta[13][14]
Jaysh al- Islam/al- Rahman Legion[15][16]
al Marj Operations Room[17]
Originated as Liwa al-Islam (Arabic: لواء الإسلام‎)
Allies Saudi Arabia[18]
Turkey[19]
Free Syrian Army[20]
Ahrar ash-Sham[21]
Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union
Army of Mujahedeen
Alweiat Al-Furqan
Sham Legion[22]
Jabhat al-Akrad[23]
Opponents Syrian Armed Forces
PFLP – GC
Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[24]
Jabhat al-Nusra (In Ghouta)[25]
Battles and wars

Syrian Civil War

Website www.jaishalislam.com

Jaysh al-Islam (Arabic: جيش الإسلام‎, meaning Army of Islam), formerly known as Liwa al-Islam or the Brigade of Islam, is a coalition of Islamist and Salafist units involved in the Syrian Civil War.[18] Its primary base of operations has been the Damascus area, particularly the neighbourhoods of Douma and Eastern Ghouta.[4] Jaysh al-Islam is the largest rebel faction in the area,[28] as was its predecessor.[29] The group is part of the Islamic Front.[9] The organization has rejected membership of the Free Syrian Army.[30]

The group along with Ahrar ash-Sham are the main rebel groups supported by Turkey and Saudi Arabia.[31] The group aims to create an Islamic state under Sharia law.[32][33] Some US officials were considering designating the group as a terrorist organization.[34] Syria and Russia have designated Jaysh al-Islam as a terrorist organization.[35][36]

Jaysh al-Islam recruits during a military parade with a captured T-72AV

History

Liwa al-Islam

Liwa al-Islam was established by Zahran Alloush, the son of Saudi-based religious scholar Abdullah Mohammed Alloush, after Syrian authorities released him from prison in mid-2011 where he had been serving time for his Salafist activism.[37] The group claimed responsibility for carrying out the July 2012 Damascus bombing that killed Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha, Deputy Defense Minister Asef Shawkat, and Assistant Vice President Hassan Turkmani. Liwa al-Islam was a driving force behind actions in the Damascus region. It cooperated and conducted joint operations with the Al-Nusra Front.[2]

Merger

On 29 September 2013, 50 rebel factions operating mostly around Damascus announced they were merging into a new group called Jaysh al-Islam. Liwa al-Islam was the dominant faction in this merger, and its leader Zahran Alloush was announced as the leader of Jaysh al-Islam.[38][39] Thirty-eight of the original groups listed as joining the merger were already members of, or affiliated with, Liwa al Islam.[40][41] By November 2013, 60 groups had merged into Jaysh al-Islam,[42] and more than 175 rebel groups around Syria expressed a desire to join it.[42]

The new group's creation was said to have been negotiated and spearheaded by Saudi Arabia, who believed that the Al-Nusra Front was gaining too much strength.[18] After the merger, The Guardian reported that Saudi Arabia was preparing to give the group millions of dollars to "arm and train" its fighters,[1] and use instructors from Pakistan to help train the group.[43] Jaysh al-Islam has criticized the Syrian National Coalition, stating that the group should be led by those who are fighting in Syria rather than leaders in exile.[18] On 26 April 2015, along with other major Aleppo based groups, they established the Fatah Halab joint operations room.[12][44]

Ideology

The Islamic Front criticized ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant), saying: "They killed the people of Islam and leave the idol worshippers" (يقتلون أهل الإسلام ويدعون أهل الأوثان) and "They use the verses talking about the disbelievers and implement it on the Muslims" (ينزلون أيات نزلت في الكفار على المسلمين).[45]

Jaysh al-Islam released a video showing the execution of ISIS members and showed a Jaysh al-Islam Sharī'ah official named Shaykh Abu Abd ar-Rahman Ka'ka (الشيخ أبو عبد الرحمن كعكة) gave a speech condemning "those who want (ISIS) to achieve" (وما الذي يريدون أن يحققوه), as "of the Madhhab of the Khawarij" (إنه مذهب الخوارج), "madhhab of hypocrisy" (مذهب النفاق), "madhhab of Abdullah ibn Saba' the Jew, who are joined with those under the banner of the dogs of (hell) fire "( مذهب عبد الله بن سبأ اليهودي إنه الإنضمام تحت لواء كلاب أهل النار).[46]

Zahran Alloush gave a speech exhorting his fighters to fight against "the Magi and Rafidi enemies" whom he accused of trying to establish a "Magi state", and a "Persian state".[47][48]

In July 2015 Alloush accused "international forces" of waging a media war of jihadists such as his own Jaysh al-Islam.[49]

Zahran Alloush's official Facebook handle is zhran1970 and his twitter handles are zahranalloush and zahran1970 (suspended).[50][51][52]

Notable incidents

Capture of sophisticated equipment

On 6 October 2012, Liwa al-Islam captured two 9K33 Osa SAM systems in Eastern Ghouta with at least 12 missiles total.[53] A video was posted on 29 July 2013, with it being used to shoot down a Syrian Mil Mi-8.[54] In November 2013, the group captured two training-jets (L-39s used by the government as jet fighters) from the Syrian Air Force and showed them on the runway.[55] But so far, they haven't been used in combat.

Filmed execution of ISIL members

On 30 June 2015, Jaysh al-Islam's website published a 20-minute video that showed its fighters executing 18 alleged ISIL militants by shotgun. The video mimics the imagery that ISIL has used for similar filmed executions; however, it reversed the imagery by having the executioners wearing orange prisoner outfits and the victims being dressed in black robes. The video, which included some English subtitles, stated the killings were in revenge for recent beheadings of captured Jaysh al-Islam fighters by ISIL.[56][57]

Attack on Adra Prison

In August[58] and September, 2015, Jaysh al-Islam shelled and stormed Adra Prison. As of September 12, 2015, it had taken control of two buildings.[59][60]

Usage of caged captives as human shields

On November 1, 2015, an opposition media outlet, Shaam News Network, posted a video showing Jaysh al-Islam militants had locked people in cages and spread out 100 cages containing 7 captives through Eastern Ghouta, northeast of Damascus, to use them as human shields against Syrian government air raids.[61][62] According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the caged people being used as human shields were captured Alawite military officers and their families who had been kidnapped by Jaish al-Islam two years ago outside Adra al-Ummaliyah, a government-held neighbourhood in Eastern Ghouta.[63]

December 25 airstrike

On December 25, 2015, the group's founder Zahran Alloush was killed, along with several other leaders of the group, in a Syrian air strike on the suburbs of Damascus.[64][65] Abu Hammam Bouwaidani succeeded him as leader.[66]

Member groups

  • Omar Legion
  • Islam Brigades (Liwa al-Islam)
  • Islamic Army Brigades
  • Sword of Truth Brigades
  • Signs of Victory Brigades
  • Conquest of Sham Brigades
  • Ghouta Shield Brigades
  • Siddiq Brigades
  • South of the Capital Brigades
  • Badr Brigades
  • Omar bin Abdulaziz Brigades
  • Tawheed Soldiers Brigades
  • Sword of Islam Brigades
  • Omar bin Khattab Brigades
  • Muath bin Jabal Brigades
  • Zubayir bin Al-Awam Brigades
  • Dhul Nurayin Brigades
  • Ansar Brigades
  • Hamzeh Brigades
  • Air Defense Brigades
  • Missile Defense Brigades
  • Tank Brigades
  • Military Direction Brigades
  • Dahir Bebers Brigades
  • Sword of Truth 2 Brigades
  • Gamloon Warriors Brigades
  • Slaves of the Merciful Brigades
  • Murabiteen Brigades
  • Bedouin Brigades
  • Sunnah Supporters Brigades
  • Ahul ul Bayt Brigades
  • Martyrs of Atarib Brigades
  • Coastal Defense Brigades
  • Ain Jalout Brigades
  • Tawheed Supporters Platoons
  • Mujahideen Platoons
  • Abu Dujana Falcons Platoons
  • Sunnah Platoons
  • Ansar Platoons
  • Brigade of Iman Hussien [67]
  • Bara’a bin Azab Platoons[39]
  • Liwa Suqur Horan[68]
  • Katibat Majed Islam[68]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Syria crisis: Saudi Arabia to spend millions to train new rebel force". The Guardian. 7 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 O'Bagy, Elizabeth (24 March 2013). "The Free Syrian Army" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  3. ↑ Kareem Shaheen and Agencies (25 December 2015). "Leader of powerful Syrian rebel group killed in airstrike". The Guardian.
  4. 1 2 "Rise of Jaish al-Islam marks a turn in Syria conflict". Middle East Eye. 7 May 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "Jaysh al-Islam confronts Islamic State in Arsal". Al Monitor. 5 February 2015. Retrieved 5 February 2015.
  6. ↑ "Syria Direct: News Update 4-20-15". Retrieved 20 April 2015.
  7. ↑ "Islamist rebel leader walks back rhetoric in first interview with Western media". 20 May 2015. Retrieved 20 May 2015. He claims that his Army of Islam has 10,000 fighters in the suburbs of Damascus and another 7,000 scattered elsewhere in Syria
  8. ↑ "The Army of Islam: Militant group battling ISIS and the Syrian regime show their might in 'graduation ceremony' featuring 1,700 soldiers and a fleet of armoured tanks". Daily Mail. 30 April 2015. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  9. 1 2 "Leading Syrian rebel groups form new Islamic Front". BBC. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  10. ↑ "New Syrian jihadist body formed to fight ISIS". Al Monitor. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  11. ↑ "Translation: the Formation of the Syrian Revolutionary Command Council". Goha's Nail. 3 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
  12. 1 2 "The biggest rebel factions in Aleppo just formed coalition "Operation Conquest of Aleppo". Source is a facebook video uploaded 20 mins ago by the Syrian Revolution 2011 facebook page. : syriancivilwar". reddit.
  13. ↑ https://malcolmxtreme.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/ghouta-command-8-27-2014.png
  14. ↑ "The wars of the Eastern Ghouta grind on". The Daily Star Newspaper - Lebanon.
  15. ↑ Master. "Al- Rahman Legion and al- Islam Army establish a joint operation room in the Eastern Ghouta". Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  16. ↑ "Damascus, East Ghouta - Al Rahman Corps statement announcing a Joint Operations room with Jaysh al Islam in Eastern Ghouta (No Merger just a Operations room) : syriancivilwar". reddit. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  17. ↑ https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/3wzk8j/an_operation_room_in_eastern_ghouta_was_formed_to/
  18. 1 2 3 4 "Insight: Saudi Arabia boosts Salafist rivals to al Qaeda in Syria". Reuters. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  19. ↑ Orango, Tim (12 October 2015). "Deadly Ankara Attack Not Enough to Unify a Polarized Turkey". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
  20. ↑ "No regime offensive in Qalamoun, rebel official claims". NOW News. 18 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  21. ↑ Aron Lund (24 September 2013). "New Islamist Bloc Declares Opposition to National Coalition and US Strategy". Syria Comment. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Freedom, Human Rights, Rule of Law: The Goals and Guiding Principles of the Islamic Front and Its Allies". Democratic Revolution, Syrian Style. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Al-Akrad Front defeats ISIL in Aleppo". ARA News. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  24. ↑ "ISIL militants.. on way to Damascus". ARA News. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  25. ↑ "Is Jabhat al-Nusra behind Ghouta demonstrations?". Al-Monitor. July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 3, 2015.
  26. ↑ "Jihadists of ISIS and Qaeda attack Syrian rebels in Damascus". ARA News. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  27. ↑ Jocelyn, Thomas (23 April 2015). "Al Nusrah Front, allies launch new offensives against Syrian regime". Long War Journal.
  28. ↑ "Syria army 'tightens siege of rebel bastion near Damascus'". AFP. 3 May 2015. Retrieved 11 May 2015.
  29. ↑ "Largest Syrian rebel groups form Islamic alliance, in possible blow to U.S. influence". Washington Post. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  30. ↑ "Leading Syrian rebels defect, dealing blow to fight against al-Qaeda". Daily Telegraph. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  31. ↑ "REPORT The Road to a Syria Peace Deal Runs Through Russia". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  32. ↑ "THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION’S POLITICAL DEMANDS". Institute for Study of War.
  33. ↑ "MAPPING MILITANT ORGANIZATIONS: Jaish al-Islam". Stanford University. Retrieved 14 February 2016.
  34. ↑ "Syrian Islamists reach out to the U.S., but serious issues remain". Brookings Institute.
  35. ↑ Haifa Said (7 February 2015). "Terrorist organizations acknowledge death of three leaders in Eastern Ghouta". SANA. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  36. ↑ Paul Antonopoulos (31 December 2015). "Russia adds two more Islamist groups to terrorist list". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  37. ↑ Aron Lund (17 June 2013). "Freedom fighters? Cannibals? The truth about Syria’s rebels". The Independent. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  38. ↑ "The Army of Islam Is Winning in Syria". Foreign Policy Magazine. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2015.
  39. 1 2 "Total of 43 Islamist Groups Unite under Newly Formed "Army of Islam" in Syria". YouTube. 29 September 2013. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
  40. ↑ "Assessing Syria's Islamic Alliance". Revolution Observer. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  41. ↑ "GUEST POST: On Liwa al-Islam and the new 'Jaysh al-Islam' merger". Pundicity. 30 September 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  42. 1 2 "Syria: Jaysh Al-Islam rejects Geneva II conference". Asharq Al-Awsat. 12 November 2013. Retrieved 15 November 2013.
  43. ↑ "Saudi Arabia's Shadow War". Foreign Policy. 6 November 2013. Retrieved 10 November 2013.
  44. ↑ "Fateh Haleb Coalition Member Organizations List : syriancivilwar". reddit.
  45. ↑ Uncover the Mask with Evidence and Confidence كشف القناع بالحجة ولإقناع داعش. YouTube. 8 March 2015.
  46. ↑ Sam Prince. "WATCH: Men in Orange Jumpsuits Execute ISIS With Shotguns". Heavy.com. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  47. ↑ Speech of Sheikh Zahran Alloush (English Sub) - The Army of Islam Military Parade. YouTube. 4 May 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  48. ↑ "LiveLeak.com - Jaish al Islam 1700 Army Parade in Ghouta". Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  49. ↑ الشيخ زهران علوش يكشف عن خفايا الحرب الإعلامية - YouTube. YouTube. 3 August 2015. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  50. ↑ "Zahran Alloush". Twitter. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  51. ↑ "Zahran Alloush". Twitter. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  52. ↑ "Zahran Alloush". Twitter. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
  53. ↑ Liwa al-Islam and her 9K33 Osa 31 July 2013. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  54. ↑ Video of 9K33 Osa shooting down SAF helicopter. Retrieved 27 December 2013.
  55. ↑ "Islamist rebel air force takes off in Syria". Times of Israel. 3 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  56. ↑ "Syrian rebels filmed shooting Islamic State militants". BBC News. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  57. ↑ The Australian: "Syrian rival jihadi group, Jaysh al-Islam, execute ISIS fighters in brutal role reversal video" July 05, 2015
  58. ↑ "Insurgents shell main prison near Syrian capital, killing 10". The Daily Star. 2015-08-23.
  59. ↑ "11 dead in rebel shelling on Damascus: activists". The Daily Star. 2015-09-12.
  60. ↑ "Rebels storm Syria's largest prison near Damascus: monitor". 2015-09-11.
  61. ↑ Robert Mackey, Maher Samaan (1 November 2015). "Caged Hostages From Syrian President’s Sect Paraded Through Rebel-Held Suburb". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  62. ↑ Euan McLelland (3 November 2015). "Hundreds of women locked in cages to act as human shields against Assad’s air-strikes: Rebels parade families loyal to president through streets as horrifying deterrent". Daily Mail. Retrieved 8 November 2015.
  63. ↑ "Monitor: Syria rebels using caged captives as ‘human shields’". Al-Arabiya Network. 1 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  64. ↑ "Syrian rebel leaders 'die in air strike'". BBC News. Retrieved December 25, 2015.
  65. ↑ Kareem Shaheen (25 December 2015). "Leader of powerful Syrian rebel group killed in airstrike". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  66. ↑ "Russian raids kill prominent Syrian rebel commander". Al-Jazeera. 25 December 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2015.
  67. ↑ "Damascus, East Ghouta - Photo album from today's Merger of Brigade of Imam Hussein (لواء الامام الحسين) into Islam Army : syriancivilwar". reddit.
  68. 1 2 "Hassan Ridha". Twitter.

External links

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