IDLIB, Syria — The Azm Operations Room, which consists of various Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions, not too long ago announced the merger of six FSA factions with the brand new Third Legion.
The brand new formation is anticipated to be led by Al-Jabha al-Shamiya chief Abu Ahmad Nour.
The Azm Operations Room said in an announcement revealed on Oct. 18, “As a part of [our] quest to unify [our] parts for full integration with the factions, we announce the merger of Jaish al-Islam, Al-Jabha al-Shamiya, al-Majd Corps, Al-Salam Brigade, the Sultan Malik-Shah Brigade and the 51st Brigade to the ranks of the Third Legion.”
This new merger offers the Azm Operations Room higher energy and affect within the areas underneath the management of the FSA in north Syria.
The transfer has tipped the stability of energy among the many factions working underneath the FSA-affiliated Syrian Nationwide Military (SNA). With this newest merger, the Azm Operations Room sought to compete for army management within the FSA-held areas towards the Syrian Liberation Front (SLF), which is one other army wing of the SNA.
The SLF is one other merger of FSA-affiliated factions introduced in September, which incorporates the Sultan Suleiman Shah Division, the Hamza Division, al-Mutasim Brigade, Suqour al-Shamal Brigades and the twentieth Division.
One other merger between 5 different FSA factions underneath the brand new Harakat Thairun (Revolutionaries Motion) was introduced in early October.
Nonetheless, the newest merger between Al-Jabha al-Shamiya and Jaish al-Islam underneath the Third Legion is extra important since Jaish al-Islam is taken into account the archenemy of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which controls the northwestern province of Idlib. Jaish al-Islam had fought Jabhat al-Nusra (earlier than it rebranded into HTS) in japanese Ghouta in 2018 earlier than Syrian regime forces took management of the world.
It appears the brand new merger will derail any makes an attempt by HTS to get near Al-Jabha al-Shamiya, set up an alliance with it and enter its areas of affect. In gentle of this, it appears HTS is now looking for rapprochement with the SLF, the brand new merger’s fundamental rival.
A gathering between HTS chief Abu Maria al-Qahtani, an Iraqi from Mosul, and SLF chief Mustafa Sejari was reported on the identical day the Third Legion was introduced on Oct. 18.
The proprietor of the well-known @MzmjerSh Twitter account of a jihadi from Syria reported the meeting on Twitter, saying, “A gathering came about between the chief of the Syrian Liberation Entrance (Sejari) and HTS leaders, together with Qahtani, and it’s a part of a sequence of conferences between HTS and leaders from the Syrian Liberation Entrance affiliated with the Syrian Nationwide Military.”
Al-Monitor contacted Sejari to touch upon the reported assembly, however he refused and neither confirmed nor denied the assembly.
Sources from the SLF advised Al-Monitor this assembly between Qahtani and Sejari certainly came about. The talks targeted on methods to settle variations between HTS and the SLF, in accordance with sources who described the assembly as pleasant.
Nonetheless, the sources mentioned the 2 leaders didn’t attain an settlement and the assembly was solely a preliminary one which paved the way in which for one more stage of relations between the 2 events.
Relating to the merger underneath the Third Legion, Seraj al-Din Azzam, director of the media workplace of the Azm Operations Room, advised Al-Monitor, “After the formation of the Azm Operations Room, which goals to spice up safety and army coordination between the factions inside it, Harakat Thairun was shaped, and not too long ago the Third Legion. These mergers are a part of the Azm Operations Room’s plan to strengthen cohesion, cooperation and coordination between the varied FSA factions.”
Azzam added, “As we speak we’re speaking a couple of merger between these parts to type one physique and one faction. All the combination and coordination steps that Azm Operations Room is taking primarily intention at beefing up forces and uniting army efforts forward of any future battle imposed by area or army developments.”
He denied that the merger between Jaish al-Islam and Al-Jabhat al-Shamiya is expounded to countering HTS.
Waiel Olwan, a Turkey-based researcher on the Jusoor Heart for Research, advised Al-Monitor, “The assembly that came about between the HTS and SLF leaders was a private assembly, not an official one representing the 2 factions. Sejari met with Qahtani upon Qahtani’s request, and the assembly was private quite than official.”
He added, “HTS is making an attempt to create political communication channels with all SNA factions. It could have sought to determine partnerships with the SNA, however following the latter’s mergers, HTS misplaced hope for any such partnerships. HTS desires to have a presence throughout the areas of the Turkish-backed factions, however the SLF is cautious of getting too near HTS.”
Qais al-Hamwi, a journalist who resides within the northern countryside of Aleppo, advised Al-Monitor, “HTS continuously modifications its stances. Similar to it initially backed the Islamic State after which al-Qaeda earlier than splitting from the latter, HTS is now looking for rapprochement with SNA factions.”
Hamwi defined, “It appears HTS and the SNA share widespread pursuits, particularly after SNA factions shaped the Azm Operations Room. By getting near the SNA, HTS is looking for to be faraway from world terrorist lists by portraying itself as a bunch combating jihadist factions.”
