Jund al-Aqsa

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Jund al-Aqsa
جند الأقصى
Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Jund al-Aqsa flag.jpeg
Emblem of Jund al-Aqsa
Flag of Jund al-Aqsa.svg
Flag of Jund al-Aqsa
Active January 2014–present
Ideology Salafist jihadism[1]
Leaders Abu Abdulaziz al-Qatari[2] 
Abu Musab al-Ansari 
Area of operations Hama Governorate, Syria
Idlib Governorate, Syria[3]
Aleppo Governorate, Syria[4]
Strength 1,000+[4]
Part of al-Nusra Front (Formerly)[4]
Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance[3]
Army of Conquest[5]
Allies Liwaa al-Umma
Liwa al-Haqq[3]
Ahrar ash-Sham[6]
al-Nusra Front[7]
Opponents

Syrian Armed Forces
Syria Revolutionaries Front[2]
Hazzm Movement[7]
Free Syrian Army[4]
United States[4]

Jund al-Aqsa (Arabic: جند الأقصى‎, Soldiers of al-Aqsa) is an Islamist rebel group that has been active during the Syrian Civil War.[3] Formerly known as Sarayat Al-Quds, the group was founded by Abu Abdul 'Aziz al-Qatari as a subunit within the al-Nusra Front.[4] The group later became independent after disagreeing with Nusra's rapid recruitment drive and its feud with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.[4]

In early 2014, the group was reportedly composed of mostly non-Syrian Arab fighters.[8] Towards the end of 2014, it had reportedly become a Syrian-majority group, partly because of defections from other Syrian rebel groups.[4]

Jund al-Aqsa is part of the Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance.[3]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The new face of the Syrian rebellion". The Arab Chronicle. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014. 
  2. ^ a b "ISIL Commanders Killed in Syria, Iraq". Fars News. 7 January 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2014. 
  3. ^ a b c d e "The Other Syrian Peace Process". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 27 January 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Why Did Jund Al-Aqsa Join Nusra Front in Taking Out 'Moderate' Rebels in Idlib?". Huffington Post. 6 November 2014. Retrieved 10 November 2014. 
  5. ^ a b "Rebels launch full-on assault of Idlib city". Syria Direct. Retrieved 25 March 2015. 
  6. ^ "The Assad Regime and Jihadis: Collaborators and Allies?". Syria Comment. 11 February 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014. 
  7. ^ a b "Al Qaeda seizes territory from moderate Syrian group". Reuters. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014. 
  8. ^ "Another Split Among Chechen Jihadists over Fight with ISIS". From Chechnya to Syria. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 7 April 2015. 

External links[edit]