Eretz Zen
Published on Sep 29, 2013
As fighting continues in Syria, 43
Islamist groups have united to form a joint "Army of Islam." The groups
have agreed to act under the joint leadership of Sheikh Muhammad Zahran
Alloush. The Army of Islam's creation was officially announced in a
ceremony on Sunday, September 29, 2013.
Al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, along with ideologically similar groups such as 'Ahrar al-Sham' (Free [Men] of the Levant), did not join the "Army of Islam", despite sharing its goal of toppling President Bashar Assad and instituting Sharia (Islamic law) in Syria.
At the same time, the "Free Syrian Army" (FSA) is working to reunite its leadership after several commanders disassociated themselves last week from its leadership.
Thirteen militant brigades announced that they reject the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and the FSA under the leadership of Salim Idriss. The groups' commanders called to unite under an Islamist umbrella group.
Al-Qaeda's Jabhat al-Nusra, along with ideologically similar groups such as 'Ahrar al-Sham' (Free [Men] of the Levant), did not join the "Army of Islam", despite sharing its goal of toppling President Bashar Assad and instituting Sharia (Islamic law) in Syria.
At the same time, the "Free Syrian Army" (FSA) is working to reunite its leadership after several commanders disassociated themselves last week from its leadership.
Thirteen militant brigades announced that they reject the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and the FSA under the leadership of Salim Idriss. The groups' commanders called to unite under an Islamist umbrella group.
The Long War Journal
Free Syrian Army units ally with al Qaeda, reject Syrian National Coalition, and call for sharia
Some of the largest Free Syrian Army brigades teamed up with an
al Qaeda affiliate and other large Islamist groups to reject the
Western-backed Syrian National Coalition and call for the establishment
of sharia, or Islamic Law, throughout Syria. The move is a major blow
to the US-backed Syrian National Coalition and Free Syrian Army, which
the West has held up as the moderate faction of the Syrian rebellion.
Abd al Aziz Salamah, the leader of Liwa al Tawhid, announced that 11 rebel groups, including al Qaeda's Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, signed a statement that called for sharia, denounced the Syrian National Coalition, and urged all groups to unite. Salamah's video announcing the development was posted on Sept. 24 on YouTube. A translation of his statement was obtained by The Long War Journal.
"The mujahideen militant factions and forces that have signed this statement convened, consulted with each other, and concluded the following," Salamah said, listing four points of agreement.
"These forces and factions call on all military and civilian organizations to unite under a clear Islamic framework, set forth by the magnanimity of Islam, operating on the basis that Sharia is the arbiter of governance and making it the sole source of legislation," he said.
He said that only those serving on the front lines are able to represent the Syrian people, and that "all formations established outside the country without consulting those inside do not represent them and are not recognized by them ...."
"[T]he Coalition and the would-be government under the presidency of Ahmad Tu'mah [the leader of the Syrian National Coalition] do not represent the factions and are not recognized by them," Salamah continued.
Additionally he called on "all militant and civilian organizations to unify their ranks and words, eschew division and discord, and put the interests of the Ummah [the global Muslim community] over that of any single group."
Salamah then named the 11 groups that signed the agreement. The groups include the Al Nusrah Front, one of two official al Qaeda affiliates operating in Syria; three large Islamist groups that fight alongside al Qaeda -- Ahrar al Sham, Liwa al Islam, and Al Fajr Islamic Movement; and two large Free Syrian Army formations -- Liwa al Tawhid and Suqur al Sham Brigades - which also fight alongside al Qaeda [see a list of the groups below]. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, al Qaeda's other affiliate that operates in Syria, did not sign the statement.
Syria's insurgency becomes more radicalized
Abd al Aziz Salamah, the leader of Liwa al Tawhid, announced that 11 rebel groups, including al Qaeda's Al Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant, signed a statement that called for sharia, denounced the Syrian National Coalition, and urged all groups to unite. Salamah's video announcing the development was posted on Sept. 24 on YouTube. A translation of his statement was obtained by The Long War Journal.
"The mujahideen militant factions and forces that have signed this statement convened, consulted with each other, and concluded the following," Salamah said, listing four points of agreement.
"These forces and factions call on all military and civilian organizations to unite under a clear Islamic framework, set forth by the magnanimity of Islam, operating on the basis that Sharia is the arbiter of governance and making it the sole source of legislation," he said.
He said that only those serving on the front lines are able to represent the Syrian people, and that "all formations established outside the country without consulting those inside do not represent them and are not recognized by them ...."
"[T]he Coalition and the would-be government under the presidency of Ahmad Tu'mah [the leader of the Syrian National Coalition] do not represent the factions and are not recognized by them," Salamah continued.
Additionally he called on "all militant and civilian organizations to unify their ranks and words, eschew division and discord, and put the interests of the Ummah [the global Muslim community] over that of any single group."
Salamah then named the 11 groups that signed the agreement. The groups include the Al Nusrah Front, one of two official al Qaeda affiliates operating in Syria; three large Islamist groups that fight alongside al Qaeda -- Ahrar al Sham, Liwa al Islam, and Al Fajr Islamic Movement; and two large Free Syrian Army formations -- Liwa al Tawhid and Suqur al Sham Brigades - which also fight alongside al Qaeda [see a list of the groups below]. The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, al Qaeda's other affiliate that operates in Syria, did not sign the statement.
Syria's insurgency becomes more radicalized
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A statement agreed on Tuesday night said that the rebel leaders in question would no longer have anything to do with the SNC.
Read More Here
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THE TELEGRAPH.CO.UK
Syrian opposition splits after Islamists push for sharia state
Western hopes of building a moderate Syrian opposition to President Bashar al-Assad have been set back after the Islamist militias which dominate the rebel movement said they were "going it alone" and intended to establish a sharia state.
Children make their way to school in
Aleppo as Western hopes of building a moderate opposition to Bashar
al-Assad suffer a set back Photo: JM LOPEZ/EPA
Western hopes of building a moderate Syrian opposition to President Bashar
al-Assad have been set back after the Islamist militias that dominate the
rebel movement said they were "going it alone" and intended to
establish a sharia state.
The new Islamist alliance includes Jabhat al-Nusra, a jihadist group that has
sworn loyalty to Ayman al-Zawahiri, the head of al-Qaeda, Ahrar al-Sham, a
hardline militant group, and a string of other brigades from across the
country.
Representatives of secular forces in the opposition blamed President Barack
Obama's decision to hold off from air strikes against the Assad regime
following the chemical weapons attack on east Damascus last month, and the
West's wider failure to arm the pro-democracy opposition.
"If there is no international intervention in Syria it will become a
second Afghanistan, a second Somalia," said Fahad al-Masri, a spokesman
for the Free Syrian Army, the broadly secular movement founded largely by
army defectors.
The Islamists are funded and supplied by donors in the Gulf, many linked to
militant causes.
The breakaway coalition includes major groups such as the Liwa Tawhid, the
strongest opposition group in Aleppo. It had previously been loyal to the
Syrian National Coalition, the "exiled leadership" backed by the
West.
A statement agreed on Tuesday night said that the rebel leaders in question would no longer have anything to do with the SNC.
Read More Here
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