Sham Legion

Sham Legion
فيلق الشام
Participant in the Syrian Civil War

Logo of the Sham Legion

Flag of the Sham Legion
Active 10 March 2014 – present[1]
Ideology Islamism[1][2]
Leaders
  • Leader: Mondher Saras[1]
  • Top Commander: Col. Mohammad Bakkar [3]
  • Field Commander: Zuheir Harba [4]
  • Senior Commander: Feisal Balkash [5]
Area of operations Homs Governorate, Syria
Hama Governorate, Syria
Idlib Governorate, Syria
Aleppo Governorate Syria[1]
Strength 4,000[6]
Part of Syrian Revolutionary Command Council[7]
Fatah Halab[8]
Northern Homs Countryside Operations Room[9]
Hawar Kilis Operations Room
Mare' Operations Room[10]
Army of Conquest[11]
Rad al-Mazalem[12][13][14][15]
North Hama Countryside Operations Room[16]
Allies
Opponents
Battles and wars

Syrian Civil War

The Sham Legion (Arabic: فيلق الشام, Faylaq Al-Sham[1]), also known as Homs Legion, is an alliance of Islamist rebel groups which formed in order to consolidate the strength of moderate Islamists during the Syrian Civil War.[1] The alliance was formed from 19 different groups,[19] some of which were previously affiliated with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood and Shields of the Revolution Council.[1]

On 26 April 2015, along with other major Aleppo based groups, they established the Fatah Halab joint operations room.[8][20]

The group participates at the Jarabulus offensive led by Turkey, which started on 24 August 2016 and aims to push mainly the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces but also the Islamic State out of the Shahba region of northern Aleppo.[21]

On 30 August 2016, the Sham Legion released a photograph, reportedly showing a child soldier within their ranks during the clashes in Aleppo Province, that was subsequently deleted.[22][23]

Member groups

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "The Sham Legion: Syria's Moderate Islamists". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 15 April 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  2. "Al Qaeda and allies gain more ground in Aleppo province". The Long War Journal. 24 June 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  3. Charkatli, Izat (10 July 2016). "Prominent rebel commander killed in Mallah battles". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  4. Fadel, Leith (9 July 2016). "Jihadist rebels suffer heavy casualties in failed northern Aleppo offensive". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  5. "Senior Terrorist Commanders Killed in Failed Attacks on Gov't Positions in Aleppo". Farsnews. 10 July 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  6. "Yes, there are 70,000 moderate opposition fighters in Syria". Spectator Blogs. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  7. "New alliance could signal end of Islamic Front". As-Safir. 4 August 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  8. 1 2 "The biggest rebel factions in Aleppo just formed coalition "Operation Conquest of Aleppo". Source is a facebook video uploaded 20 mins ago by the Syrian Revolution 2011 facebook page. : syriancivilwar". reddit.
  9. "WinningLooksLike comments on FSA, Jabhat a-Nusra ally in north Homs ahead of expected Russian-backed offensive". reddit.
  10. "Factions involved in North Aleppo's Opposition/SDF Conflict". Archicivilians. 1 December 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  11. "Inside the Victory Army restructuring: Infighting led to 'breakdown of our operational effectiveness'". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  12. "Ivan Sidorenko on Twitter". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  13. "معركة رد المظالم (@Rd_Almzalm) - Twitter". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  14. https://www.facebook.com/rd.almzalm/
  15. Adra, Zen (18 April 2016). "Field report: Islamist rebels attack Syrian Army in Hama. Map Update". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  16. https://www.reddit.com/r/syriancivilwar/comments/5bchv0/official_statement_listing_groups_involved_in_the/
  17. 1 2 "Freedom, Human Rights, Rule of Law: The Goals and Guiding Principles of the Islamic Front and Its Allies". Democratic Revolution, Syrian Style. 17 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  18. "Rebels launch full-on assault of Idlib city". Syria Direct. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  19. "Nineteen Syrian Opposition Groups Unite under 'Al-Sham Legion'". Syria 360°. 11 March 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  20. "Fateh Haleb Coalition Member Organizations List : syriancivilwar". reddit.
  21. "Turkish-led forces capture first village in northern Syria". al-Masdar News. 24 August 2016.
  22. "Turkish-backed Militants Use Child Soldiers during Military Operations in Northern Syria (Photo)". SouthFront.org. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  23. Abdi, Mustafa (30 August 2016). "صورة حذفها حساب #فيلق_الشام بعد نشرها بدقائق تظهر: تواجد لارهابي #احرار_الشلام في #جرابلس، تجنيد الاطفال بين صفوفهم" (in Arabic). Twitter. Retrieved 30 August 2016.
  24. "archicivilians". Twitter.
  25. "Hassan Ridha on Twitter". Retrieved 12 July 2016.
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