Levant Front

Levant Front
الجبهة الشامية Jabhat al-Shamiyah Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Active	25 December 2014[1]–18 April 2015; 18 June 2015–present
Ideology	Sunni Islamism[1] Salafism Islamic democracy[1] (depending on the member group)
Groups	Liwa Suyuf al-Sham (Azaz branch) Northern Army[2] Northern Storm Brigade Soldiers of Islam Brigade[3] Soldiers of Levant Brigade[4] Brigade of Conquest (northern Aleppo Governorate branch) (former)[5][6]
Leaders	Abu Amr (emir)[7][8] Colonel Muhammad al-Ahmad (spokesman)[9] Muhammad Abu Ibrahim (military commander)[10] Abu Ahmad al-Jazrawi[11]
Headquarters	Azaz, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Area of operations	Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Size	3,000[12] (December 2016, Russian military claim)
Part of	Fatah Halab[13] Jaysh Halab[14][15] Mare' Operations Room[16] Hawar Kilis Operations Room Free Syrian Army[17]
Allies	Turkey Sham Legion Syrian Turkmen Brigades (sometimes) Other FSA groups in northern Aleppo
Opponents	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Democratic Forces Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[18] Tahrir al-Sham
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo[19] Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War[18] Turkish military intervention in Syria

The Levant Front (Arabic: الجبهة الشامية‎‎, Jabhat al-Shamiyah, also translated as the Sham Front or the Levantine Front)^[20] is a Syrian rebel group based around Aleppo involved in the Syrian Civil War.^[21] It was formed in December 2014.

Ideology

The Levant Front's membership includes the major Sunni Islamist groups operating in northern Syria, representing a spectrum of ideologies from hardline Salafism to apolitical factions linked to the Free Syrian Army.^[1] The group imposes Sharia law where murder and apostasy in Islam are punishable by death. In Aleppo, media activists accusing the Levant Front of corruption and otherwise criticizing the group have received threats and faced reprisal attacks. Courts affiliated with the group have also been accused of summary killings by Amnesty International.^[22]

History

Initial formation

Following months of negotiations in Turkey and northern Syria between the Islamic Front (mainly the al-Tawhid Brigade), the Army of Mujahideen, the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, the Fastaqim Union, Liwa Ahrar Souriya and the Authenticity and Development Front, on 25 December 2014, the factions announced that they combined their forces into a joint command called the Levant Front.^[1][23] The US-backed Hazzm Movement joined the coalition on 30 January 2015,^[24] and announced its dissolution and merger with into other Levant Front factions on 1 March 2015.^[25]

On 20 February 2015, the Levant Front successfully forced Syrian Army forces to retreat from rural towns in Aleppo;^[26] during the clashes group claimed to have killed 300 Syrian soldiers and captured 110.^[27] During the same month, the group signed an agreement with the YPG and installed Sharia courts in Sheikh Maqsood and Afrin.^[28]

Dissolution and reestablishment in 2015

On 18 April 2015, the Levant Front announced its dissolution as an alliance, however it stated that the member factions would continue to coordinate with each other militarily. Reasons behind the split were believed to include a lack of coordination between the groups and increasing defections of its members to other factions.^[29][30] Following its end as a single unified group, it continued to act as a joint operations room.^[31]

On 26 April 2015, along with other major Aleppo based groups, the Levant Front established the Fatah Halab joint operations room.^[13][32]

The group announced its reactivation on 18 June. Its new leader is Abu Amr, who was an Ahrar ash-Sham commander.^[7][8] On 29 June, the Levant Front released their charter.^[33]

Since its reactivation on 18 June, the Levant Front operates as a unified group with former members acting as independent groups. Various groups have joined and left the group since its reactivation, such as Abu Amara Battalions and the Thuwar al-Sham Battalions.^[34]

SDF offensive against the Levant Front

On 16 November 2015, the Syrian Democratic Forces announced the formation of its branch in the Aleppo and Idlib governorates. The YPG, YPJ, and the Army of Revolutionaries were the founding members of the coalition.^[35] Subsequently, clashes erupted between the SDF and the Levant Front, backed by Ahrar al-Sham, the al-Nusra Front, and the Mare' Operations Room.^[11]

On 10 February 2016, the SDF successfully drove out the Levant Front from the Menagh Military Airbase. After days of fierce clashes, the YPG and the Army of Revolutionaries captured a series of villages before reaching and capturing the airbase and the town of Menagh from the Levant Front. According to sources quoted by Reuters, the SDF were supported by Russian airstrikes. The SDF initiated this offensive following the recent Syrian Army offensive on rebel forces in Aleppo supported by Russian airstrikes. The SDF advanced from the Afrin Canton, the westernmost part of Rojava, which had been attacked multiple times by Islamist groups such as the al-Nusra Front. The aim was to prevent attacks on Afrin canton and close the Turkish border to these various Islamist groups.^[36][37][38]

Turkish intervention and rebel infighting

On 24 August 2016, Turkey launched a large-scale military campaign in the northern Aleppo Governorate against both ISIL and the SDF. The Levant Front was one of the FSA factions that participated in the operation, which captured Jarabulus, al-Bab, and dozens of other towns in northern Aleppo.^[10]

On 24 January 2017, the al-Nusra Front backed by Nour al-Din al-Zenki attacked the Army of Mujahideen and the Levant Front west of Aleppo, defeating both. The former two groups then merged with several other Islamist factions and declared the formation of Tahrir al-Sham.^[39] The Levant Front's western Aleppo branch and several other former Levant Front groups, such as the Army of Mujahideen and the Fastaqim Union, joined Ahrar al-Sham.^[40]

The Levant Front has been involved in inter-rebel conflict between TFSA factions.

See also

• List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War

References

Syrian Civil War
Part of the Arab Spring
Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (2012–13) First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Raqqa campaign (2012–13) (Battle of Raqqa (2013)) Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Battle of Tell Abyad Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base Northern Aleppo offensive (February–July 2014) 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) 2015 Qamishli bombings Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) 7th Rif Dimashq offensive Northwestern Syria offensive 2015 Aleppo offensive 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Latakia offensive (2015–2016) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 3rd Deir ez-Zor offensive Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016) Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016) Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) February Homs bombings February Sayyidah Zaynab bombings 2016 Khanasir offensive Battle of Tel Abyad Battle of Qamishli (April 2016) Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016) 8th Rif Dimashq offensive Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016) May 2016 Jableh and Tartous bombings Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (June 2016) 9th Rif Dimashq offensive Manbij offensive Tokhar 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Battle of al-Rai (August 2016) 2016 Aleppo summer campaign Western al-Bab offensive (September 2016) 5 September 2016 Syria bombings September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid September 2016 Urum al-Kubra Aid Convoy attack September Aleppo offensive 2016 Dabiq offensive Western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016) Aleppo offensive (September–October 2016) Khan al-Shih offensive (October–November 2016) Raqqa campaign (2016–present) Battle of Raqqa (2017) Battle of al-Bab Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016) Palmyra offensive (December 2016) 2017 (Jan–Apr • May–present) Wadi Barada offensive (2016–17) January 2017 Azaz bombing Syrian Desert campaign (December 2016–April 2017) Idlib Governorate clashes (2017) Deir ez-Zor offensive (January–February 2017) Daraa offensive (February–June 2017) ISIL Daraa offensive (February 2017) Qaboun offensive (2017) Palmyra offensive (2017) East Aleppo offensive (January–April 2017) March 2017 Damascus bombings 2017 al-Jinah airstrike 2017 Hama offensive Battle of Tabqa (2017) Khan Shaykhun chemical attack 2017 Shayrat missile strike 2017 Aleppo suicide car bombing April 2017 Turkish airstrikes in Syria and Iraq East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2017) Syrian Desert campaign (May 2017–present) Maskanah Plains offensive East Hama offensive 9th Daraa Southern Raqqa offensive (June 2017) 2017 Jobar offensive Quneitra offensive (June 2017) Idlib Governorate clashes (July 2017) Central Syria campaign (July 2017–present) 3nd Qalamoun Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes 3nd Qalamoun Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents March 2017 incident Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike Assassination of Andrei Karlov Turkish military intervention in Syria 2017 Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident 2017 Deir ez-Zor missile strike
Involved parties Syria Ba'ath Government Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party Military & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Resistance PFLP-GC Jerusalem Brigade Palestine Liberation Army Smaller groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russia's involvement medical facility targeting military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) Syrian opposition, Al-Qaeda affiliates and allies NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Syrian Patriotic Group Opposition militias Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army Hawar Kilis Operations Room Ahrar al-Sham Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement Abu Amara Battalions Covert Special Tasks Force Jaysh al-Izza Elite Army 2nd Army Jaysh al-Nasr Martyrs of Islam Brigade National Liberation Movement Central Division 1st Coastal Division Free Idlib Army 23rd Division Jaysh al-Islam al-Rahman Legion 1st Brigade of Damascus Southern Front Army of Free Tribes Criterion Brigades National Front for the Liberation of Syria Jabhat Ansar al-Islam Saraya Ahl al-Sham Authenticity and Development Front Al-Qaratayn Martyrs Brigade[1] Badia Forces[2][3] Revolutionary Commando Army[4] Elite Division Smaller groups al-Qaeda affiliates and allies Tahrir al-Sham Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria Caucasus Emirate Ajnad al-Kavkaz Junud al Makhdi Malhama Tactical Ansar al-Islam splinter faction Smaller groups Allied groups (to the Opposition militias) Muslim Brotherhood of Syria Grey Wolves Smaller groups Support for the Opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari support Saudi Arabia Turkey Rojava (SDF) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political parties SDF groups People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Anti-Terror Units Al-Sanadid Forces Army of Revolutionaries Elite Forces SDF Military Councils Syriac Military Council (Bethnahrain Women's Protection Forces Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa Raqqa Hawks Brigade Northern Democratic Brigade Free Officers Union Liberation Brigade faction Shahba Forces Liwa Owais al-Qorani remnants Martyr Amara Arab Women's Battalion Battalion of Karachok Martyrs Revolutionary Forces Khabour Guards Nattoreh Smaller groups Allied groups Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion International Anti-Fascist Battalion Sinjar Resistance Units Êzîdxan Women's Units Smaller groups ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military of ISIL Dokumacılar Khalid ibn al-Walid Army Liwa al-Aqsa Group of the One and Only Liwa Dawud
People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa
Issues Peace process Related topics Elections Issues Casualties Chemical weapons Cities and towns Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International reactions International demonstrations and protests Massacres Refugees (European migrant crisis) Sectarianism and minorities Spillover into Lebanon Syrian reactions Peace process Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN Supervision Mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II Conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Related topics 2014 Syrian detainee report Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian media coverage The Return to Homs Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Sunnistan Syrian presidential election, 2014 Elections and referendums held during the civil war Syrian local elections, 2011 Syrian constitutional referendum, 2012 Syrian presidential election, 2014 Rojava local elections, 2015 Syrian parliamentary election, 2016
References ↑ "FSA Launches a New Battle against IS Group in the Desert of #Syrian". en.eldorar.com.  ↑ "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter".  ↑ "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter".  ↑ Shaam.org. ""جيش سوريا الجديد " بحلة جديدة .. “مغاوير الثورة” تشكيل بدعم أمريكي لمحاربة تنظيم الدولة في حمص".
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