Freemen of Syria

Freemen of Syria
Liwa Ahrar Souriya
Arabic: لواء أحرار سورية
Leaders
  • Ahmad Afash[1]
  • Mahmoud Afash[1]
  • Ali Belo[2]
  • Capt. Mamon Kalzi[3]
  • Abu Layla[4] (Manbij area field commander, 2012–13)
  • Muhammad Abu Adel (Manbij commander, 2013–14)[5]
Dates of operationFebruary 2012 — present
Group(s)
HeadquartersAnadan and Azaz, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Active regionsAleppo Governorate and Raqqa Governorate, Syria[7]
IdeologySyrian nationalism
Sunni Islamism[7]
Size
  • 2,000–2,500 (self-claim, 2013)[8][1]
  • 500 (2012)[1]
Part of
Allies
Opponents
Battles and warsSyrian civil war
Preceded by
Free Anadan Brigade

The Freemen of Syria are a brigade of Syrian opposition fighters part of the Free Syrian Army who were active during the Syrian civil war, near Aleppo. The brigade funds itself from donations mainly from Saudi Arabia, looting warehouses, and kidnapping people for ransom.[16][17] They later ended up joining the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement and the Sham Legion.[18] A part of the Northern Brigade left the Sham Legion in 2017 but it is unknown if the group is still active.[19]

References

[change | change source]
  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 ""Billionaire" Ahmad Afash: Pioneer, Thief and Founder of Free Syria Brigade". Al Akhbar. 13 December 2013. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017.
  2. ↑ "Nine leaders of the brigade are free Syria abducted by the organization "Daesh"". Orient News. 12 September 2013.
  3. ↑ "Map of armed factions in Aleppo". The Republic. March 2015.
  4. ↑ "Our correspondent: the banner of free Syria and Kurds dominate the front Krasan in rural Manbej". Afrin News. 6 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "Mohammed Abu Adel in brief". Hawar News Agency. 18 September 2017. Archived from the original on 23 January 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2017.
  6. ↑ "22 1 Ar Raqqa, announcement of the establishment of the Kurdish Front Brigade under the leadership of the Free Syrian Army". Zajil Network. 22 January 2013.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Aleppo and the Battle for the Syrian Revolution's Soul". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. 4 December 2012. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  8. ↑ "The Non-State Militant Landscape in Syria". Combating Terrorism Center. 27 August 2013. Archived from the original on 15 May 2014. Retrieved 1 June 2014.
  9. ↑ https://malcolmxtreme.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/levantine-front-1-30-2015.jpg [bare URL]
  10. ↑ "Syrian Civil War factions".
  11. ↑ "Factions involved in North Aleppo's Opposition/SDF Conflict". Archicivilians. 1 December 2015. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
  12. ↑ "Al-Hamza Division to RFS". Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office. 22 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 6 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Northern Brigade separates from Sham Legion". All4Syria. 30 May 2017.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 "YPG, allies clash with Syrian opposition groups in Aleppo". Middle East Eye. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  15. ↑ UNHRC (2013), p. 22.
  16. ↑ ""Billionaire" Ahmad Afash: Pioneer, Thief and Founder of Free Syria Brigade". Archived from the original on 10 October 2017.
  17. ↑ Ivan Watson, Shiyar Sayed Mohammed and Ammar Cheikh Omar (29 October 2012). "Syria rebels, Kurdish militia discuss cease-fire". CNN.
  18. ↑ "Brigade Syria are free to join Noureddine Zanki movement in Aleppo and its countryside". 15 November 2016. Archived from the original on 16 November 2016.
  19. ↑ Nabih, Ibn (2 June 2017). "After being booted out, Faylaq al-Sham gave the option to Maghawir al-Islam/Liwa al-Shimal sub-factions to remain in, some accepted.pic.twitter.com/YA5QgkDL9K".