October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes

October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes
Part of the inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
Date4–13 October 2016
(1 week and 2 days)
LocationIdlib Governorate and Hama Governorate, Syria
Result

Ceasefire; Jund al-Aqsa joins al-Nusra Front[1][2]

Belligerents

Ahrar al-Sham

Jund al-Aqsa
Supported by:
Jabhat Fateh al-Sham[6]

 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[7][8]
Commanders and leaders
Abu Yahia al-Hamawi[9]
(general commander of Ahrar al-Sham)
Muhammad al-Dabbous [10][5]
(Ahrar al-Sham senior commander)
Ali Hilal al-Ahmad 
(Ahrar al-Sham commander)[11]		 Unknown
Strength
Unknown 1,600 fighters[12]
Casualties and losses
Unknown number of dead, 800 defected[12] Unknown number of dead, 150 defected to ISIL[6]
100–170 fighters killed on both sides[13][14]

The October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes are violent confrontations between the Salafist jihadist group Jund al-Aqsa and the Salafist Syrian rebel group the Ahrar al-Sham, supported by several other rebel groups. The two groups were previously allied during the 2016 Hama offensive, but sporadic clashes also occurred time by time.[15]

The clashes

Tensions between the two groups initiated on 4 October, when Ahrar al-Sham captured a Jund al-Aqsa member accused of being a cell for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In response, Jund al-Aqsa militants kidnapped an Ahrar al-Sham member, beat his wife, and shot his brother. Both sides called for the release of their captured members and threatened military action.[15]

The conflict escalated on 6 October, as clashes broke out throughout the Idlib Governorate and the northern Hama Governorate. Jund al-Aqsa captured all Ahrar al-Sham positions in the town of Khan Shaykhun and attacked them in northern Hama, while Ahrar al-Sham expelled the former from Maarat al-Nu'man and 4 other villages in Idlib.[3] 800 fighters from Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham defected to Jund al-Aqsa during the clashes.[12]

As a reaction to the clashes, several other rebel groups signed a statement announcing that they would side with Ahrar al-Sham against Jund al-Aqsa in the conflict. The signatory groups were:[16] Jaysh al-Islam, Suqour al-Sham Brigade, Sham Legion, Army of Mujahideen, Fatah Halab, and Fastaqim Union.

On 8 October, clashes between the two groups spread to a village in Jabal Zawiya,[17] and a senior military commander of Ahrar al-Sham was killed.[10] The next day, in an attempt to end the conflict and find protection, Jund al-Aqsa pledged its allegiance to the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front (also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham). However, clashes continued in Idlib, after Ahrar al-Sham rejected the move and vowed to continue fighting Jund al-Aqsa.[4]

Two days later, a ceasefire agreement was signed between Jund al-Aqsa, Ahrar al-Sham, and al-Nusra.[1] However, clashes between the two groups soon erupted again in Idlib.[18] In addition, Jund al-Aqsa, along with al-Nusra, reportedly attacked a base of Ahrar Al-Sham in the town of Tahtaya.[19] Meanwhile, 150 Jund al-Aqsa fighters reportedly defected to ISIL as result of the rebel infighting and their group's pledge to the al-Nusra Front.[6]

On 13 October, the general commander of Ahrar al-Sham announced the "end" of Jund al-Aqsa.[2]

Aftermath

On 22 October, Jund al-Aqsa as part of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham attacked Ahrar al-Sham's headquarter in Sarmin.[20]

In January 2017, the al-Nusra Front launched several coordinated attacks against Ahrar al-Sham headquarters and positions in the northern Idlib Governorate, near the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing. In addition, al-Nusra also attacked Ahrar al-Sham outposts in Darkush and Jisr al-Shughur.[21] On 20 January, Jund al-Aqsa raided an Ahrar al-Sham prison in the Zawiya Mountain and freed 13 of their prisoners.[22] Meanwhile, in the same area, al-Nusra attacked the Mountain Hawks Brigade of the Free Idlib Army, and captured a commander and his equipment.[23]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 @hxhassan (10 October 2016). "The agreement between Ahrar al-Sham, Jund al-Aqsa and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham to end clashes between the former two" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. 1 2 "qasioun.net". www.qasioun.net.
  3. 1 2 3 "Jihadist civil war boils up as jihadists trade blows in Hama and Idlib". Al-Masdar News. 7 October 2016.
  4. 1 2 "Syria extremist group joins al-Qaida affiliate". AP. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  5. 1 2 "Combat of Jund al-Aqsa against Military Factions :causes, details & prospects". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 14 October 2016.
  6. 1 2 3 Fadel, Leith (12 October 2016). "150 rebels defect to ISIS in northern Syria: reports". al-Masdar News.
  7. ↑ al-Omar, Saleem. "Islamist Groups Ahrar al-Sham and Jund al-Aqsa Go to War".
  8. ↑ "Google Translate". translate.google.com.
  9. ↑ "News of the day: Abu Yahya al-Hamwi: Jund al-Aqsa work brings to mind a scene of state regulation". El-Wehda. 8 October 2016.
  10. 1 2 "How kill "jungle pin" hands on "Jund al-Aqsa?"". Enab Baladi. 8 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Ahrar al-Sham commander in Khan Sheikhoun "Ali Hilal al-Ahmad" was among those executed by Jund al-Aqsa today". 7 October 2016.
  12. 1 2 3 "Source: hundreds of fighters to leave their factions (Jund al-Aqsa) within two month". All4Syria. 7 October 2016.
  13. ↑ Kajjo, Sirwan. "Rebel Infighting Further Complicates Solution for Syria".
  14. ↑ Syria: Tens of Terrorists Killed in Further Infighting between Jund al-Aqsa, Ahrar al-Sham in Idlib
  15. 1 2 "Ahrar al-Sham and Jund al-Aqsa alliance in northern Hama showing cracks". Al-Masdar News. 6 October 2016.
  16. ↑ "News of the day: the major factions of the resistance of the Syrian military announced that it stands with the Ahrar al-Sham in the face of Jund al-Aqsa". El-Wehda. 7 October 2016.
  17. ↑ "Casualties for Ahrar al-Sham during the control of Jund al-Aqsa on a village in the countryside of Idlib". Syria HR. 8 October 2016.
  18. ↑ @InsideSourceInt (10 October 2016). "#Syria // #Idlib // Clashes re igniting between JAL and Ahrar now in Idlib after relative calm" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ↑ "Jihadist civil war escalates in Idlib as more groups join the battle". 11 October 2016.
  20. ↑ "Tension return between Jund al-Aqsa and Ahrar al-Sham in the countryside of Idlib and shooting in al-Suwaidaa". Syria HR. 22 October 2016.
  21. ↑ Al-Hamra (20 January 2017). "Why Al-Qaeda/JFS Is Attacking Ahrar al-Sham: @charles_lister's Take". Medium Corporation.
  22. ↑ Leith Fadel (20 January 2017). "Trouble in jihadist paradise as rival factions battle in Idlib". Al-Masdar News.
  23. ↑ "Clashes in the countryside of Idlib between the "Brigade Hawks Mountain" and "Front victory"". Nour Radio. 21 January 2017.
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