Syrian Front for Liberation
Arabic: الجبهة السورية للتحرير, romanized: Jabhat al-Suriya lil-Tahrir
Leaders
Dates of operation9 September 2021–present
Merger of
Split fromAzm Operations Room
CountrySyria
Allegiance Syrian Interim Government[1]
HeadquartersAl-Bab[7][8]
Active regionsTurkish-occupied northern Syria
StatusActive
Size15,000[1]–20,000[7][8]
Part of Syrian National Army
Free Syrian Army[1]
Allies Turkey[7][8]
Opponents
Websitehttps://twitter.com/SyrianFront1

The Syrian Front for Liberation (Arabic: الجبهة السورية للتحرير, romanized: Jabhat al-Suriya lil-Tahrir) is a Syrian opposition faction operating within the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, formed by the Mu'tasim Division, the Hamza Division, the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division (al-Amshat), the 20th Division, and the Northern Hawks Brigade on 9 September 2021.[1] The Front soon began to fracture after its formation, with the Northern Hawks Brigade and 20th Division having withdrawn by 14 October[4][5] and the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division by 2 November.[2][3]

Background and establishment

The Azm Operations Room was formed in the areas of Azaz and Afrin under auspice of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in mid-July 2021 by the Levant Front and the Sultan Murad Division,[10] with the Hamza Division, Sultan Malik Shah Division, Ahrar al-Sharqiya Division, Jaysh al-Sharqiya, and Jaysh al-Islam later joining. The Levant Front blocked the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division (al-Amshat) from joining the operations room, although it later also joined.[11]

By 23 August, the Hamza Division, al-Amshat, and Northern Hawks Brigade had withdrawn from the Azm Operations Room, which led to the Levant Front surrounding the camps of Hamza and al-Amshat in Hawar Kilis and threatening to attack the three groups if they do not rejoin the operations room.[10][11]

The Syrian Front for Liberation was then formed, also under orders from the MİT, as a counter to the Azm Operations Room. The founding ceremony of the SFL took place on 9 September in the center of al-Bab. Muhammad al-Jassim (Abu Amsha), leader of al-Amshat, refused to attend the ceremony, and instead sent his brother, prompting the leadership of the SFL to threaten to expel him.[12]

While the leadership of the Front emphasizes the complete integration of the five groups under a unified leadership, Firas Faham, an Istanbul-based researcher, said they're still separate. A freelance journalist based in the region also said that "These formations are only for show and they are not united in reality. Each faction still has its own leaders and members who do not take orders from the leaders of other factions. These formations only aim to protect themselves. Whenever factions feel threatened, they form new military bodies to protect themselves, but once the threat is gone, the formations fall apart."[1]

Leadership and organization

Leaders

During the founding ceremony of the Syrian Front for Liberation on 9 September 2021, Mutasim Abbas, leader of the Mutasim Division, was appointed the commander-in-chief of the Front, and Hamza Division leader Sayf Balud as the deputy commander.[13] Mutasim Division political leader Mustafa Sejari became the leader of the Front's political office.[1]

On 4 October, the group announced the appointment of Mahmoud al-Boushi as its overall commander in the regions of north-central and northeastern Syria captured during the 2019 offensive, with Khalil Khayriyah as his deputy. In addition, Colonel Ibrahim Daas al-Harbi was appointed the commander of the eastern sector of the region, Major Muhammad Riad Noura as commander of the Ras al-Ayn sector, and Nour Tlass as commander of the Tell Abyad sector.[14]

Composition

In addition to its five founding member groups, the Special Forces Division led by Abdullah Halawa joined the Front on 28 September 2021. The Division was formed during the northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020) and consists of 1,550 fighters spread across the Idlib and Aleppo governorates, Tell Abyad, and Ras al-Ayn, with its largest force concentrated in Idlib with 800 fighters. Halawa was previously a military commander of the Hamza Division before he broke away to form the Special Forces Division.[6]

An anonymous source reported to Orient News that the 20th Division demanded to assume control over the Front's political office. When the Front's leadership refused the demand, the 20th Division led by Abu Barzan withdrew from the Front. The Northern Hawks Brigade also withdrew, citing the delay in the arrival of salaries for its members.[4]

On 14 October, the 20th Division joined the Azm Operations Room. The Azm Operations Room demanded the Northern Hawks Brigade, which also left the Syrian Front for Liberation, to hand over persons involved in the torture of a prisoner by the latter, to which the Northern Hawks Brigade complied and rejoined the Azm Operations Room.[5][4]

On 2 November, the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division left the Syrian Front for Liberation to join the Revolutionaries Movement, part of the Azm Operations Room.[2] The withdrawal of the three factions from the Front was reportedly due to the Front being dominated by the Hamza and Mutasim divisions, who are rivals of the Levant Front and the Sultan Murad Division, two dominant groups in the Azm Operations Room.[3]

History

On 1 November, Syrian Front for Liberation political leader Mustafa Sejari announced the group's readiness to participate in a new Turkish-led offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces to occupy the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria.[9]

It was reported later in November than the Hamza and Mutasim divisions were in negotiations with the Azm Operations Room to join the Third Corps under the operations room. The operations room also claimed that Abdullah Halawa, commander of the Special Forces Division, fled to Turkey after being charged with smuggling and drug trafficking.[15]

On 13 November, the Syrian Front for Liberation praised Qatar's rejection of normalizing relations with the Syrian government.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Sultan al-Kanj (16 September 2021). "Turkey-backed Syrian opposition groups merge under new banner". Al-Monitor.
  2. 1 2 3 "About two months after its formation, news of the withdrawal of formations from "Syrian Liberation"". Shaam News Network. 2 November 2021.
  3. 1 2 3 Sultan al-Kanj (4 November 2021). "Why are Turkish-allied formations collapsing in Syria?". Al-Monitor.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 "What are the reasons for the cracking of the "Syrian Liberation Front"? .. Sources explain to "Orient"". Orient News. 18 October 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 4 "Suqur Al-Shamal Brigade returns to "Azm"...and "Division 20" withdraws from the "Syrian Liberation Front"". Al-Tareek Media. 14 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 "Most of its presence is in Idlib... "Special Forces" join the "Syrian Front"". Enab Baladi. 28 September 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 "Five Syrian armed opposition groups unite as Syrian Liberation Front". The New Arab. 10 September 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Ömer Koparan; Ethem Emre Özcan (10 September 2021). "5 Syrian military groups merge as Syrian Liberation Front". Anadolu Agency.
  9. 1 2 "Official of the Syrian National Army The battle in northern Syria is awaiting the starting signal". Qasioun News Agency. 2 November 2021.
  10. 1 2 zaher tahhan (24 August 2021). "Splits in "Azm Operations Room" warn of a bloody conflict between the militants of northern Aleppo". Syrian Documentation Center.
  11. 1 2 "At Turkish Intelligence's orders, Turkish-backed factions form new alliance in north Syria". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 9 September 2021.
  12. ↑ Farouq Hamo (18 September 2021). "Contradictions arose among Turkish-backed factions in Syria's Afrin". North Press Agency.
  13. ↑ Bara’ al-Shami (9 September 2021). "Five Turkish-backed factions announce new military formation in northern Syria". North Press Agency.
  14. ↑ "The Syrian Liberation Front makes changes to the leadership of the sectors in the Spring of Peace area". Qasioun News Agency. 4 October 2021.
  15. ↑ Thaer al-Muhammad (13 November 2021). ""Azm" is reaping the fruits of organization and firmness.. an initiative to end the line-ups in the national army". Syria TV.
  16. ↑ "The "Syrian Liberation Front" praises the Qatari position that rejects normalization with the regime". Al-Tareek Media. 13 November 2021.
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