m Robot - Speedily moving category Anti-government factions in the Syrian civil war to Category:Anti-government factions of the Syrian Civil War per CFDS. |
Leadership and allegiance change |
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|active = Summer 2012 – present |
|active = Summer 2012 – present |
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|ideology = [[Sunni]] [[Islamism]]<br>[[Jihadism]] |
|ideology = [[Sunni]] [[Islamism]]<br>[[Jihadism]] |
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|leaders = [[Abu Omar al-Chechen]]<ref name=Guardian0923>{{cite news|title=Syria: the foreign fighters joining the war against Bashar al-Assad |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/23/syria-foreign-fighters-joining-war |last=Abdul-Ahad |first=Ghaith |authorlink=Ghaith Abdul-Ahad |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 September 2012 |accessdate=23 September 2012}}</ref> |
|leaders = [[Abu Omar al-Chechen]]<ref name=Guardian0923>{{cite news|title=Syria: the foreign fighters joining the war against Bashar al-Assad |url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/23/syria-foreign-fighters-joining-war |last=Abdul-Ahad |first=Ghaith |authorlink=Ghaith Abdul-Ahad |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |date=23 September 2012 |accessdate=23 September 2012}}</ref> (Summer 2012 - Dec 2013)<ref name=BBC3NOV13>{{cite news|title=Syria crisis: Omar Shishani, Chechen jihadist leader|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25151104|work=BBC|date=3 December 2013|accessdate=5 December 2013}}</ref><br>Salahuddin<ref name=BBC3NOV13 /> |
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|groups = |
|groups = |
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|headquarters = [[Aleppo]], [[Syria]] |
|headquarters = [[Aleppo]], [[Syria]] |
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|strength = 1,000 fighters<ref name=lwj3/><br /><small>(March 2013)</small> |
|strength = 1,000 fighters<ref name=lwj3/><br /><small>(March 2013)</small> |
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|partof = {{flagicon image|ShababFlag.svg}} [[Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]]<ref name=LWJ>{{cite news|title=Chechen-led group swears allegiance to head of Islamic State of Iraq and Sham|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/11/muhajireen_army_swea.php|work=Long War Journal|date=27 November 2013|accessdate=28 November 2013}}</ref> |
|partof = {{flagicon image|ShababFlag.svg}} [[Islamic State of Iraq and Syria]]<ref name=LWJ>{{cite news|title=Chechen-led group swears allegiance to head of Islamic State of Iraq and Sham|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/11/muhajireen_army_swea.php|work=Long War Journal|date=27 November 2013|accessdate=28 November 2013}}</ref> |
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|previous = |
|previous = Katibat al-Muhajireen |
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|next = |
|next = |
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|allies = [[File:Flag of Jabhat al-Nusra.jpg|22x20px]] [[Al-Nusra Front to Protect the Levant|Al-Nusra Front]]{{-}} [[File:Flag of Jihad.svg|22x20px]] [[Ahrar al-Sham]]{{-}}{{flag icon|Syria|1932}} [[Free Syrian Army]] |
|allies = [[File:Flag of Jabhat al-Nusra.jpg|22x20px]] [[Al-Nusra Front to Protect the Levant|Al-Nusra Front]]{{-}} [[File:Flag of Jihad.svg|22x20px]] [[Ahrar al-Sham]]{{-}}{{flag icon|Syria|1932}} [[Free Syrian Army]] |
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'''Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar''' ({{lang-ar|جيش المهاجرين والأنصار}} Army of Emigrants and Supporters), formerly known as the '''Muhajireen Brigade''', are an Islamist jihadist group made up of foreign fighters active in the [[Syrian civil war]] against the [[Government of Syria|Syrian Government]]. The group |
'''Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar''' ({{lang-ar|جيش المهاجرين والأنصار}} Army of Emigrants and Supporters), formerly known as the '''Muhajireen Brigade''', are an Islamist jihadist group made up of foreign fighters active in the [[Syrian civil war]] against the [[Government of Syria|Syrian Government]]. The group was<ref name=BBC3NOV13 /> briefly affiliated with the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]]<ref name="jamestown090813" /> |
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== Origin of the group == |
== Origin of the group == |
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The group was established under the name [[Muhajirun|Muhajireen]] Brigade in summer 2012, and |
The group was established under the name [[Muhajirun|Muhajireen]] Brigade in summer 2012, and was lead by an ethnic [[Chechen people|Chechen]], Abu Omar al-Chechen (alternatively Abu Omar al-Shishani), an Islamist fighter from Georgia’s [[Pankisi Gorge]] <ref name=jamestown190413>{{Cite web |title="Obliged to Unite under One Banner": A Profile of Syria’s Jaysh al-Muhajireen wa’l-Ansar |date=19 April 2013 |url=http://www.jamestown.org/programs/tm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=40749&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=684&no_cache=1 | publisher=[[Jamestown Foundation]]}}</ref> who had fought against Russia in the [[Second Chechen War]] and the [Russian-Georgian War 2008|Russian-Georgian War]]. While Syrian jihadist groups like [[Ahrar al-Sham]] and [[Al-Nusra]] include many foreign jihadists who travelled to Syria to fight with the rebels, Jaish was established by and largely composed of non-Syrians.<ref name=Guardian0923/> |
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== Composition of the group== |
== Composition of the group== |
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In August 2013, Abu Omar released a statement announcing the expulsion of one of his commanders, Emir Seifullah, and 27 of his men from the group. Abu Omar accused the men of embezzlement and of stirring up the animosity of local Syrians against the foreign fighters by indulging in [[takfir]] against other Muslims.<ref name=jamestown090813>{{cite news|title=Influence of Chechen Leader of North Caucasian Fighters in Syria Grows |url=http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41255&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=381&cHash=29f5982933f249d513ffd0fd9e3e3085 |last=Vatchagaev |first=Mairbek |publisher=[[Jamestown Foundation]] |date=9 August 2013 |accessdate=16 August 2013}}</ref> |
In August 2013, Abu Omar released a statement announcing the expulsion of one of his commanders, Emir Seifullah, and 27 of his men from the group. Abu Omar accused the men of embezzlement and of stirring up the animosity of local Syrians against the foreign fighters by indulging in [[takfir]] against other Muslims.<ref name=jamestown090813>{{cite news|title=Influence of Chechen Leader of North Caucasian Fighters in Syria Grows |url=http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=41255&tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=381&cHash=29f5982933f249d513ffd0fd9e3e3085 |last=Vatchagaev |first=Mairbek |publisher=[[Jamestown Foundation]] |date=9 August 2013 |accessdate=16 August 2013}}</ref> |
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In December 2013, Abu Omar was replaced as leader of the group by another Chechen commander known as Salahuddin, as most of the Chechen members of the group did not support Abu Omar's [[Bay'at|oath of allegience]] to the [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant]]<ref name=BBC3NOV13 /> due to their preexisting oath to [[Dokka Umarov]] of the [[Caucasus Emirate]]<ref name=LWJ />. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
Revision as of 22:57, 4 December 2013
Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar جيش المهاجرين والأنصار | |
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![]() | |
Leaders | Abu Omar al-Chechen[1] (Summer 2012 - Dec 2013)[2] Salahuddin[2] |
Dates of operation | Summer 2012 – present |
Headquarters | Aleppo, Syria |
Active regions | Aleppo and Latakia Governorates, Syria |
Ideology | Sunni Islamism Jihadism |
Part of | ![]() |
Allies | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Opponents | ![]() National Defense Force Syrian Resistance |
Battles and wars | Syrian civil war |
Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (Arabic: جيش المهاجرين والأنصار Army of Emigrants and Supporters), formerly known as the Muhajireen Brigade, are an Islamist jihadist group made up of foreign fighters active in the Syrian civil war against the Syrian Government. The group was[2] briefly affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[5]
Origin of the group
The group was established under the name Muhajireen Brigade in summer 2012, and was lead by an ethnic Chechen, Abu Omar al-Chechen (alternatively Abu Omar al-Shishani), an Islamist fighter from Georgia’s Pankisi Gorge [6] who had fought against Russia in the Second Chechen War and the [Russian-Georgian War 2008|Russian-Georgian War]]. While Syrian jihadist groups like Ahrar al-Sham and Al-Nusra include many foreign jihadists who travelled to Syria to fight with the rebels, Jaish was established by and largely composed of non-Syrians.[1]
Composition of the group
The group is composed of diverse nationalities. While the commander is a Chechen, other fighters are French and Turkish. Many of them are veterans from other conflicts.[1] The Syrian rebels refer to them as "Turkish brothers."[7] The Chechen rebel news agency, Kavkaz Center, has described the Brigade as being made up of Mujahideen from the Caucasus Emirate, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, and other CIS countries.
Role in the Syrian civil war
The group became involved in the Battle of Aleppo against the Syrian Army. In late September 2012 in a confrontation with the Syrian Army the Muhajireen lost ten men in two days, the unit subsequently redeployed after receiving insufficient support from other rebels.[1]
The Muhajireen went on to participate in major assaults against Syrian military bases in alliance with other Jihadist units. In October 2012 they assisted the Al-Nusra Front in a raid on the 606 Rocket Brigade, an air defense and Scud missile base in Aleppo.[8] In December 2012, they fought alongside Al-Nusra Front during the overrunning of the Sheikh Suleiman Army base in Western Aleppo. In February 2013, together with the Tawhid Brigades and the Al-Nusra Front, they stormed the base of the Syrian military's 80th Regiment near the main airport in Aleppo.[9]
In March 2013, Kavkaz Center reported that the Kataeb al-Muhajireen merged with two Syrian Jihadist groups called Jaish Muhammad and Kataeb Khattab, to form a new group called Jaish Muhajireen wa Ansar, or Army of Emigrants and Helpers.[4] The group's leadership structure consists of a military leadership, a Shari’a committee, a Shura council and a media arm, Liwa al-Mujahideen al-Ilami. The latter is the same name as a media group established by foreign mujahideen fighting in the Bosnian war[6]
The group played a key role in the August 2013 capture of Menagh Air Base, culminating with a VBIED driven by two of their members killing and wounding many of the last remaining Syrian Armed Forces defenders.[10] A branch of the Muhajireen brigades came also known fighting in the 2013 Latakia offensive.[11]
In August 2013, Abu Omar released a statement announcing the expulsion of one of his commanders, Emir Seifullah, and 27 of his men from the group. Abu Omar accused the men of embezzlement and of stirring up the animosity of local Syrians against the foreign fighters by indulging in takfir against other Muslims.[5]
In December 2013, Abu Omar was replaced as leader of the group by another Chechen commander known as Salahuddin, as most of the Chechen members of the group did not support Abu Omar's oath of allegience to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[2] due to their preexisting oath to Dokka Umarov of the Caucasus Emirate[3].
See also
References
- ^ a b c d Abdul-Ahad, Ghaith (23 September 2012). "Syria: the foreign fighters joining the war against Bashar al-Assad". The Guardian. Retrieved 23 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d "Syria crisis: Omar Shishani, Chechen jihadist leader". BBC. 3 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
- ^ a b "Chechen-led group swears allegiance to head of Islamic State of Iraq and Sham". Long War Journal. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ^ a b "Chechen commander forms 'Army of Emigrants,' integrates Syrian groups". Long War Journal. 28 March 2013.
- ^ a b Vatchagaev, Mairbek (9 August 2013). "Influence of Chechen Leader of North Caucasian Fighters in Syria Grows". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
- ^ a b ""Obliged to Unite under One Banner": A Profile of Syria's Jaysh al-Muhajireen wa'l-Ansar". Jamestown Foundation. 19 April 2013.
- ^ "Сирија, почиње џихад" (in Serbian). Radio Television of Serbia. 23 September 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|trans_title=
ignored (|trans-title=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Al Nusrah Front commanded Free Syrian Army unit, 'Chechen emigrants,' in assault on Syrian air defense base". Long War Journal. 19 October 2012.
- ^ "Chechen commander leads Muhajireen Brigade in Syria". Long War Journal. 20 February 2013.
- ^ Rebels Gain Control of Government Air Base in Syria
- ^ Decoder: The Battle for Latakia Begins