Ahfad al-Rasul Brigade
| Ahfad al-Rasul Brigade | |
|---|---|
|
لألوية أحفاد الرسول Participant in Syrian civil war | |
|
Official logo of the Ahfad al-Rasul Brigade | |
| Active | July 2012–Early 2014 (defunct)[1] |
| Ideology | Sunni Islamism[2] |
| Leaders | Ziad Haj Obaid[3] |
| Area of operations |
Raqqa Governorate, Syria[4] Idlib Governorate, Syria[5] |
| Strength | 7,000–9,000[6] |
| Part of | Euphrates Islamic Liberation Front (formerly)[7] |
| Allies |
Kurdish Islamic Front (formerly) Ahrar ash-Sham Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (formerly)[8] |
| Opponents |
Syrian Armed Forces Islamic State of Iraq and Syria[4] |
| Battles and wars | Syrian civil war |
The Ahfad al-Rasul Brigade (Arabic: لألوية أحفاد الرسول Lā‘lwīt Aḥfād ar-Rasūl, "Grandsons of the Prophet") was a Syrian rebel group fighting against the Syrian government in the Syrian Civil War.It has been funded by the Qatari government.[9][10]
Its notable subgroups included Al-Haqq battalion, Shuhada al-Jolan Battalion, Suqour al-Jolan Battalion and the Suqour Jabal al-Zawiya battalion.[3] By August 2013, the group had coopted some 50 groups from across Syria; however, it was strongest in Idlib Governorate.[5]
Ahfad al-Rasul took part in the 2 September 2012 bombing that targeted the Syrian Army General Staff building in Damascus. Its leader, Ziad Haj Obaid, was on the Arms Committee for the Supreme Military Command.[3]
By early 2014, the Ahfad al-Rasoul was being described as defunct, with many subunits rebranding themselves as members of the Syria Revolutionaries Front.[1] Former members of the group are also part of the 1st Coastal Division.[11]
See also
References
- 1 2 Aron Lund (14 February 2014). "Syria's Southern Spring Offensive". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ "Alwiya Ahfaad ar-Rasool: A Growing Force in the Syrian Armed Opposition | Fair Observer°". Fairobserver.com. 25 September 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- 1 2 3 O'Bagy, Elizabeth (24 March 2013). "The Free Syrian Army" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- 1 2 "The end of the rebel alliance?". Al Jazeera English. 15 September 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- 1 2 Lund, Aron (27 August 2013). "The Non-State Militant Landscape in Syria". CTC Sentinel. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ "Syria crisis: Guide to armed and political opposition". BBC. 13 December 2013.
- ↑ "The new face of the Syrian rebellion". The Arab Chronicle. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
- ↑ "Syrian Kurds' struggle for autonomy threatens rebel effort to oust Assad". New York Times. 26 July 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ "The Structure and Organization of the Syrian Opposition". Center for American Progress. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ Basma Atassi (16 December 2013). "Syrian fighter defects to Qaeda-linked group - Features". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 19 May 2014.
- ↑ "The Moderate Rebels: A Complete and Growing List of Vetted Groups Fielding TOW-Missiles". 22 November 2014. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
External links
- Ahfad al-Rasul Brigade on Twitter (Arabic)
