Jabhat al-Akrad

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Liwa' Jabhat al-'Akrad
لواء جبهة الأكراد
Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Jabhat al-akrad logo.jpeg
Former official logo of Jabhat al-Akrad
Active April 2014 – present
Leaders Hajji Ahmed Kurdi[1]
Area of operations Aleppo Governorate, Raqqa Governorate
Strength 7,000 (claimed)[1]
Part of Euphrates Volcano[2]
Jaysh al-Thuwar[3]
Allies Liwa Thuwwar al-Raqqa[4]
People's Protection Units[5]
Al-Tawhid Brigade[5]
Jaysh al-Islam[6]
Opponents Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[7]

Jabhat al-Akrad (Arabic: جبهة الأكراد‎), also known as the Kurdish Front Brigade (Arabic: لواء جبهة الأكراد لنصرة شعبنا السوريLiwa' Jabhat al-'Akrad l-Nusrah Shaʿbnā al-Sūrī, Kurdish Front Brigade to Protect the Syrian People, Kurdish: Eniya Kurdan جه‌بهه‌ت ئه‌ل-ئه‌کراد‎), is a predominantly Kurdish armed faction participating in the Syrian civil war.

The group was originally formed as a brigade of the Free Syrian Army by Kurdish and Arab defectors from the Syrian Army. It has also maintained close ties to the Democratic Union Party (PYD) since its founding, including military coordination with its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG). Jabhat al-Akrad operates in Kurdish and ethnically-mixed areas in Syria's Aleppo and Raqqa provinces, mainly outside of the quasi-autonomous Kurdish enclaves in Kurd Dagh, Jazira, and the Kobanê Canton which are controlled by the YPG. These areas include the countryside north and east of Aleppo city, Aleppo city itself, the area of Tall Abyad in northern Raqqa province, and Raqqa city itself.

Jabhat al-Akrad was expelled from the FSA Aleppo Military Council on 16 August 2013 due to alleged PKK affiliations[8] amid widespread clashes in northern Syria between predominantly Sunni Arab rebel groups—led by units affiliated to al-Qaida—and Kurdish militia led by the YPG.

In early 2014, following several months of inactivity, Jabhat al-Akrad re-emerged to collaborate with the Free Syrian Army and other rebel factions in attacks on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). On 28 February, ISIL withdrew from the strategic border town of Azaz, which was then taken by Jabhat al-Akrad, the Northern Storm Brigade and Al-Tawhid Brigade.[5] The faction and 10 other groups have threatened to leave Aleppo and Raqqa governorates if they are not aided by other rebels.[7]

On 5 May 2015, former members of the Hazzm Movement and the Syria Revolutionaries Front based in the north, Jabhat al-Akrad, the Northern Sun Battalion and smaller FSA groups formed Jaysh al-Thuwar.[3][9]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Civiroglu, Mutlu (11 August 2013). "Kurdish Commander: Jihadi Groups in Syria Have Hijacked FSA". Rudaw English. Retrieved 16 May 2014. 
  2. ^ "YPG and FSA form a joint military chamber to combat ISIS in Syria". ARA News. 12 September 2014. Retrieved 11 September 2014. 
  3. ^ a b "#Syria: Seven FSA groups (incl. Jabhat Akrad, Shams Shamal & Homs Revolutionary Union) form "The Revolutionary Army".". Twitter. 
  4. ^ "Syria rebels struggle for control over ISIL-held Raqqa". ARA News. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 16 May 2014. 
  5. ^ a b c van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (27 March 2014). "Syrian Kurds, rebels find common enemy in ISIS". Al Monitor. Retrieved 16 May 2014. 
  6. ^ "Al-Akrad Front defeats ISIL in Aleppo". ARA News. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014. 
  7. ^ a b "Rebels demand help as fighting rages against ISIS in Ghouta". The Daily Star. 3 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014. 
  8. ^ van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (16 August 2013). "FSA Removes Jabhat al-Akrad From Council". Transnational Middle-East Observer. Retrieved 16 May 2014. 
  9. ^ "#SRO - EXCLUSIVE - Former Hazzm and #SRF forces allied with kurds and some #FSA small units to create Jaysh al-Thuwar (in 4 governorates).". Twitter.