Ansar al-Sham
 | This article needs to be updated. (July 2016) |
| Supporters of the Levant Brigade[1] | |
|---|---|
| Ansar al-Sham | |
 Ansar al-Sham Logo | |
| Leaders | Abu Omar al-Jamil (overall leader) Abu Musa al-Shishani (Military Commander)[2] |
| Dates of operation | September 2012[2]-Present |
| Headquarters | Jabal al Akrad, Latakia[3] |
| Active regions | Latakia Governorate[4] Idlib Governorate[1] |
| Ideology | Islamism[5] |
| Part of | .svg){kind=small} Islamic Front(former)[6][7][5]Rad al-Mazalem[8][9][10][11] |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War |
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Ansar al-Sham (Arabic: كتائب أنصار الشام, Supporters of the Levant) is an armed insurgent organisation that has been active during the Syrian civil war.[5]
Founded in September 2012 by a Latakian veteran of the Afghan Jihad known as Abu Omar,[3] Ansar al-Sham brings together a wide range of mostly Syrian fighters in North Latakia Governorate on a general Islamist platform. The groups military leader is a Chechen known as Abu Musa al-Shishani, and it maintains good relations with a wide variety of other opposition groups in the area, from the Free Syria Army to Al-Nusra Front.[3] In December 2012, Ansar al-Sham joined with other insurgent groups to found the Syrian Islamic Front umbrella organisation,[15] in November 2013 the SIF was dissolved and Liwa al-Haqq, Ansar al-Sham and Ahrar ash-Sham joined the broader Islamic Front alliance.[5]
It played a lead role in the 2014 Latakia offensive against the Syrian Government.[2]
See also
References
- ^ a b Sinjab, Lina (17 October 2013). "Syria crisis: Guide to armed and political opposition". BBC. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d "Rebels Reopen the Latakia Front". Institute for the Study of War. 10 April 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d "The Ansar al-Sham Battalions". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ Aaron Y. Zelin (4 February 2013). "The Syrian Islamic Front: A New Extremist Force". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ a b c d "A Power Move by Syria's Rebel Forces". Institute for the Study of War. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
- ^ "The Dawn of Freedom Brigades: Analysis and Interview". 2 October 2014.
- ^ Lund, Aron. "Islamist Mergers in Syria: Ahrar al-Sham Swallows Suqour al-Sham".
- ^ "Ivan Sidorenko on Twitter".
- ^ "معركة رد المظالم (@Rd_Almzalm) - Twitter".
- ^ https://www.facebook.com/rd.almzalm/
- ^ Adra, Zen (18 April 2016). "Field report: Islamist rebels attack Syrian Army in Hama. Map Update".
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Regime Regains Ground on the Coast". Institute for the Study of War. 22 August 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ^ "Syrie: combats féroces autour d'un point de passage avec la Turquie". AFP. 21 March 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
- ^ "The Syrian Islamic Front: A New Extremist Force". Washington Institute for Near East Policy. 19 May 2014.
