Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa

Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa
جبهة ثوار الرقة
Jabhat Thūwwār ar-Raqqah
Participant in the Syrian Civil War

Logo of Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa

Flag of Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa
Active September 2012 – present
Groups
Leaders
Headquarters Ayn Issa
Area of operations Raqqa Governorate, Syria[12]
Aleppo Governorate, Syria[8]
Size +800[13]
Part of
Originated as Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa
Allies
Opponents
Battles and wars

Syrian Civil War

Website www.frontofraqqarevolutionaries.com

Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa (Arabic: جبهة ثوار الرقة‎, translit. Jabhat Thūwwār ar-Raqqah‎), or the Front of Raqqa Revolutionaries, is a rebel group that has been active during the Syrian Civil War.[19] It's currently part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the group which is backed by the American-led intervention in Syria.

It was formed in the Raqqa Governorate in September 2012, under its original name Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa (Arabic: لواء ثوار الرقة‎, translit. Liwā' Thūwwār ar-Raqqah, lit. 'Raqqa Revolutionaries' Brigade'‎).[20]

Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa

Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa was allied with Jabhat al-Nusra in Raqqa city for a while in late 2013, but by January 2014 it had broken away after observing ties between al-Nusra leaders and al-Qaeda. Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa led the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the city of Raqqa.[12][20] After ISIL expelled Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa and other rebel groups from Raqqa city, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa moved into the Raqqa Governorate countryside and allied itself with the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG).[20] In July 2014 the faction and 10 other groups threatened to leave Aleppo and Raqqa governorates if they were not aided by other rebels in their fight against ISIL.[21]

In September 2014 Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa joined the YPG-FSA Euphrates Volcano joint operations room.[20] It reportedly received anti-tank missiles and other equipment from the United States through the Şanlıurfa border crossing as part of the Syrian Train and Equip Program to fight ISIL.[22]

In 2015, it participated in the YPG offensive towards the Syrian border city of Tell Abyad. In June, fighters from Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa were near the Turkish border, whilst the group was also fighting ISIL in the southern city of Ayn Issa, on the Raqqa road. Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa was able to grow considerably in size because of the influx of both rebels from Turkey and locals who wanted to fight ISIL. The current size of the brigade is unknown, but numbers in the hundreds at least. In October 2015, the group stated it received military equipment from the United States and YPG in order to fight ISIL north of Raqqa. It has stated it intends to capture the city of Raqqa from ISIL.[23] Pro-opposition newspaper Al-Tamimi claimed that Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa wants Syria to become a unitary civil democratic state.[20]

Reorganisation under the SDF banner

In November 2015, the group merged with Tribes' Army of Tell Abyad to form Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa which became part of a greater coalition in northern Syria. However tensions between the Kurdish and Arab factions of the group grew after alleged Kurdish atrocities against the Arab populations of northern Syria. In response the Kurds with their Arab allies blockaded the region held by Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, after ISIS attacks increased from the region held by Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, which became susceptible to an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant attack in late December 2015. On 6 January 2016, the group issued a statement claiming it was disbanding as a consequence of the blockade, although the cause of the disbandment has been disputed.[24] After the disbandment they continued to use the Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa name. In late 2015, the group reappeared, announcing it had decided to join Syrian Democratic Forces.[25]

On 20 October 2016, Thuwar al-Raqqa established an all-female battalion named the "Generous Raqqa Battalion".[1]

During the Raqqa campaign, three of its former subgroups groups, the Raqqa Hawks Brigade, Raqqa Martyrs Brigade, and the Free Raqqa Brigade, are participating in the countryside operations, leaving Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa.[2] while Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa will be involved in taking the city itself.[3][4]

During the offensive, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa's political bureau condemned the offensive for being led by the YPG. This caused tensions between the group's political bureau, who opposes the YPG, and the overall leader and military commander of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, Abu Issa, who is allied with the YPG.[26][27] In response, the YPG besieged and raided the group's headquarter.[28]

On 10 December 2016, the second phase of the Raqqa campaign was announced, with Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa participating under the SDF.[29] Tensions rose again on 25 December and several military commanders in Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa reportedly announced their defection to the Raqqa Hawks Brigade. 2 days later, the Thuwar al-Raqqa commanders declared on video that they were captured by the Raqqa Hawks Brigade and forced to announce their defection, and that they are still with Thuwar al-Raqqa.[10]

On 19 May 2017, Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa held a meeting with other SDF member groups in negotiating the role that the former will play in the Raqqa campaign. After SDF commander Hussam Awak promised the unit that "its role [in Raqqa] will be essential, especially in the civil and humanitarian affairs", Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa sent a convoy of troops to participate in the offensive.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Antonopoulos, Paul (20 October 2016). "Video: Thuwar Raqqa announce a women’s battalion to fight ISIS". al-Masdar News.
  2. 1 2 "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter".
  3. 1 2 3 "Who is taking part in Ghadab al-Firat campaign?". Hawar News Agency.
  4. 1 2 3 "Syrian Rebellion Obs on Twitter".
  5. ↑ "Syrian Civil War factions".
  6. 1 2 "Leader of Raqqa Rebels brigade killed". ARA News. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  7. ↑ "Islamic State foiled in attempt to kidnap Syrian rebel leader in Turkey". The Guardian. 19 October 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 "FSA fighting alongside Kobane Kurds". NOW. 9 October 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "Kobane battles reunified Kurds and Arabs: Rebel leader". ARA News. 8 November 2014. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  10. 1 2 ""Intentionally" fights Arab allies .. and "revolutionaries tenderness" reveal planned". Baladi News. 27 December 2016.
  11. 1 2 "Thuwar #Raqqa imposes a condition to return to the "Euphrates Wrath"". El-Dorar al-Shamia. 20 May 2017.
  12. 1 2 Simon, Alex (5 March 2014). "Al-Tamimi: ISIS claiming control in Yarmouk 'publicity stunt'". Syria Direct. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "Syrian Kurds look to take Raqqa with new Arab force as allies".
  14. ↑ "YPG and FSA form a joint military chamber to combat ISIS in Syria". ARA News. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  15. ↑ "Syria’s Raqqa in turmoil as violence increases". ARA News. 18 April 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  16. 1 2 "Syria rebels struggle for control over ISIL-held Raqqa". ARA News. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "A new dialogue and collaboration in northern Syria between kurds and rebels". The Arab Chronicle. Archived from the original on 12 October 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "#Syria: Liwa Thuwar #Raqqa (#FSA) rebels driving through Tall Abyad today, being cheered on by residents who stayed". Live UA Map. 16 June 2015.
  19. ↑ Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (29 April 2014). "Key updates on Albukamal (Abu Kamal)". Brown Moses Blog. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (14 September 2015). "Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa: History, analysis & interview". Syria Comment. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  21. ↑ "Rebels demand help as fighting rages against ISIS in Ghouta". The Daily Star. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  22. ↑ PJ WILCOX (1 December 2014). "FSA COMMANDER ABU ISSA BECOMES HIGH VALUE TARGET FOR ISLAMIC STATE IN SYRIA".
  23. ↑ "FSA spokesman confirms aid for 'decisive battle to liberate Raqqa'". Syria Direct.
  24. ↑ "Tribes’ Army disbands in north amidst accusations of YPG blockade".
  25. ↑ "Ultimele stiri si informatii despre Liwa Thuwwar Al Raqqa". www.disperat.ro. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  26. ↑ @Syria_Rebel_Obs (10 November 2016). "IMPORTANT - Liwa Thuwar #Raqqa political bureau was many times in conflict with its military leader, Abu Issa, that's the problem" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  27. ↑ "Liwa Thuwar Raqqa refrain from participating SDF Wrath of the Euphrates battle". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 10 November 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  28. ↑ @Syria_Rebel_Obs (10 November 2016). "Stop saying "Liwa Thuwar #Raqqa left #SDF" : brigade is few, and MORE IMPORTANT, besieged de facto by #SDF bases around its HQ" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  29. ↑ @arabthomness (11 December 2016). "#Syria: the #SDF coalition (#YPG, local #FSA, allied arab tribes) have launched the second stage of the offensive to liberate #Raqqa" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.