Main Tabs Group

Overview
Formed: 
January 1, 2012
Disbanded: 
February 17, 2017

[1]

First Attack: October 2012: Ansar al-Sham captured a government outpost (Burj al-Dimous) by the Turkish border (unknown casualties).[2]

Last Attack: August 2, 2015:  Ansar al-Sham and other militant groups targeted Syrian army positions in Sahl al-Ghab and Hama’s western countryside. It is unclear if Ansar al-Sham fired Grad missiles at these positions or just took part in subsequent fighting. The attack occurred during a Syrian army counterattack during the militants’ Al-Ghab offensive. (44 killed, unknown wounded). The faction fighters target regime forces controlled areas in Sahl al-Ghab and the western countryside of Hama.[3] About 30 deaths and wound from the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them in the violent clashes in Sahl al-Ghab and the countryside of Jesr al-shoghour.[4]

 

Ansar al-Sham, also known as Kataib Ansar al-Sham (Supporters of the Levant), was a Sunni Salafist militant group that aimed to replace the Assad Regime with an Islamic government. The group was formed in 2012 in Syria’s Latakia governorate and became active in Idlib and Aleppo as well. Ansar al-Sham targeted the Assad Regime’s forces and sympathizers. However, unlike other former members of the Islamic Front umbrella group, Ansar al-Sham did not oppose the Islamic State. Ansar al-Sham rarely worked alone, and often cooperated with Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Nusra), also known as the Nusra Front. The group was most known for its participation in a March 2014 offensive in Latakia that was lead by other opposition groups, such as Al-Nusra. After this offensive, Ansar al-Sham had few notable attacks and was mostly engaged in skirmishes with the Syrian army in Latakia. Following a series of skirmishes between opposition groups in the Idlib governorate, Ansar al-Sham joined Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, on February 7, 2017.

Narrative

Ansar al-Sham (also known as Kataib Ansar al-Sham, “Supporters of the Levant Brigade”) was an Islamist opposition group active in the Syrian Civil War. It was formed in 2012 through a merger of eleven battalions in Latakia, a province in Western Syria that borders Turkey. Katibat Zeid bin Haritha, which became an Ansar al-Sham member brigade, reportedly led the merger. Compared to other opposition groups, Ansar al-Sham was particularly active in humanitarian aid distribution and ran schools in the areas that it controlled.[5] Additionally, Ansar al-Sham differed from other former members of the Islamic Front because it did not target the Islamic State (IS), and avoided confrontation with IS since many IS fighters in Latakia were family members or had social ties to Ansar al-Sham’s members.[6]

Though Ansar al-Sham was a member of the Syrian Islamic Front umbrella group from late 2012 through its dissolution in 2013, and helped found the Islamic Front umbrella organization in December 2013, it conducted few verifiably reported attacks prior to 2014.[7] In 2014, Ansar al-Sham began participating in campaigns against the Syrian army that were coordinated with other opposition groups. Its most prominent attack occurred in March 2014, when it participated in an offensive in the northern region of Syria’s Latakia province along with Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Nusra), also known as the Nusra Front, Ahrar al-Sham, Sham al-Islam, and other opposition groups affiliated with the Islamic Front. After two days of fighting, the insurgents seized a small village on the Turkish border, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from the Assad Regime.[8] Ansar al-Sham’s Latakia campaign was its last major offensive as part of the Islamic Front, which dissolved in mid-2014 due to disagreements between its two most prominent members: Ahrar al-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam.[9] Ansar al-Sham’s next major operation began in April 2015 when it overtook Jisr al-Shughour, a strategic city in the Idlib Province on the border of the Latakia Province, with Al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham.[10]

It is unclear if Ansar al-Sham participated in ceasefires prior to 2016. The group did participate in the nation-wide ceasefire that began on February 27, 2016 after the UN Security Council adopted resolution 2268.[11] However by March 2016, increased violence in Syria led to a partial breakdown of the ceasefire as opposition groups, including Ansar al-Sham, launched new assaults in the Latakia and Hama provinces.[12] In April 2016, Ansar al-Sham released a joint statement with its allies, such as Ahrar al-Sham, declaring the end of the ceasefire in Latakia because it believed that the Syrian army was violating the truce by attacking villages and other civilian areas.[13]

Following a series of skirmishes between Sunni opposition groups in the Idlib governorate, Ansar al-Sham joined Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) on February 7, 2017.[14]

Organization

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Leadership

Abu Omar (unknown-unknown): Omar was a veteran of the Afghan insurgency and reportedly founded Ansar al-Sham. Allegedly, he later began managing the group’s funds.[15]

Abu Musa al-Shishani (unknown-unknown): Shishani was a Chechen and was reportedly Ansar al-Sham’s military commander.[16]

Size Estimates
  • 2014: 2,500+ fighters (Foreign Policy)[17]
Name Changes

There are no recorded name changes for this group.

Resources

There is very limited information about Ansar al-Sham’s funding. The group allegedly received financial support from Saudi Arabia.[18] There was also speculation that it received financial aid from the Free Syrian Army (FSA). In particular, the FSA purportedly offered Ansar al-Sham $500,000 to support its battle efforts in the 2014 Latakia Offensive.[19]

Ansar al-Sham primarily recruited local fighters but stated that it was not opposed to accepting foreign fighters.[20]

Locations

Disclaimer: This is a partial list of where the militant organization has bases and where it operates. This does not include information on where the group conducts major attacks or has external influences.

Ansar al-Sham was headquartered in Northern Latakia, a governorate in Western Syria that borders Turkey. It has also been active in Idlib, a governorate in Northwestern Syria that is approximately 60 kilometers southwest of Aleppo.[21] A 2012 report listed eleven constituent brigades in Latakia, three in Idlib, and one in Aleppo.[22]

Strategy

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Ideology and Goals

Ansar al-Sham sought to overthrow the Assad Regime and establish a Sunni Islamic state. Unlike other prominent opposition groups, Ansar al-Sham made few ideological claims.[23] Its vague Islamic ideology accounted for the group’s appeal among local Sunni supporters who had a wide range of religious beliefs.[24] However, analysts speculated that Ansar al-Sham’s membership in the Syrian Islamic Front in December 2012 and in the Islamic Front in December 2013 indicated that the organization’s leadership endorsed a more extreme Salafi ideology.[25]

Political Activities

It is unclear if Ansar al-Sham participated in ceasefires prior to the national ceasefire enacted after United Nation Security Council resolution 2268. While it initially adhered to the nation-wide ceasefire, Ansar al-Sham launched new assaults in Latakia and Hama after an increase in violence in March 2016.[26] In April 2016, Ansar al-Sham released a joint statement with four other militant groups—Ahrar al-Sham, Jaysh al-Islam, Jaysh al-Nasr, and the First Coastal Unit—declaring an end of the ceasefire in Latakia because they believed that the Syrian government was violating the truce by attacking villages and other civilian areas.[27]

Targets And Tactics

Ansar al-Sham targeted the Assad Regime and its affiliated fighting forces. Like many other opposition groups in Syria, Ansar al-Sham often engaged in small arms battles and regularly used remotely detonated bombs.[28]

Attacks

Disclaimer: These are some selected major attacks in the militant organization's history. It is not a comprehensive listing but captures some of the most famous attacks or turning points during the campaign.

October 2012: Ansar al-Sham captured Burj al-Dimous, a Syrian government outpost, by the Turkish border. (unknown casualties).[29]

March 2014: Ansar al-Sham allied with Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Nusra), Ahrar al-Sham, and Sham al-Islam in an opposition offensive in Latakia. They seized the town of Samra and took the border crossing at Kassab, the last northern border region to fall into the militants’ hands (unknown casualties).[30]

April 2015: Ansar al-Sham cooperated with Al-Nusra and Ahrar al Sham in a successful joint venture to overtake Jisr al-Shughour, a strategic city in the Idlib province that borders the Latakia province (unknown casualties).[31]

June 6, 2015:  Ansar al-Sham, along with the Jaysh al-Fatah umbrella group and other militant groups, prevented the regime from retaking territory in Idlib, Hama, and Latakia. Insurgents and local media perceived this as a major setback for Colonel Soheil al-Hassan (nicknamed al-Nemer or “the tiger”), who is known as one of Bashar al-Assad’s favorite field commanders (unknown casualties).[32]

August 2, 2015:  Ansar al-Sham and other militant groups targeted Syrian army positions in Sahl al-Ghab and Hama’s western countryside. It is unclear if Ansar al-Sham fired Grad missiles at these positions or just took part in subsequent fighting. The attack occurred during a Syrian army counterattack during the militants’ Al-Ghab offensive (44 killed, unknown wounded).[33]

Interactions

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Designated / Listed

Ansar al-Sham was not listed as a designated terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department, the United Nations, or the European Union. Since December 2015, the UN Security Council has been trying to assemble a list of terrorist groups in Syria. The United States, Russia, Lebanon, Jordan, Italy, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia supported classifying Ansar al-Sham as a terrorist group but were unable to achieve a unanimous consensus.[34]

Community Relations

Ansar al-Sham actively engaged with the local population. Video evidence demonstrates the group’s commitment to public service, focusing on its food and shelter distribution to refugees, as well as its formal and Koranic classes for children.[35] Ansar al-Sham also worked with local clerics to deliver religious lectures.[36]

Relationships With Other Groups

Unlike other Syrian militant groups who were part of the Islamic Front, Ansar al-Sham did not oppose the Islamic State (IS) because many IS fighters in the Latakia governorate were family members or had social ties to Ansar al-Sham’s members.[37] Ansar al-Sham regularly cooperated with local militias and larger groups, such as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra (Al-Nusra), and Ahrar al-Sham. It conducted training operations with Harakat al-Fajr al-Islamiya and fought alongside Al-Nusra, Ahrar al-Sham, and Shal al-Islam during the 2014 Latakia Offensive.[38] Following a series of skirmishes between Sunni opposition groups in the Idlib governorate, Ansar al-Sham joined Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as Al-Nusra) on February 7, 2017.[39]

Ansar al-Sham was very selective about the umbrella organizations joined or supported. In late 2012, Ansar al-Sham helped found the Syrian Islamic Front, and it was a founding member of the Islamic Front, the largest umbrella organization of opposition forces in the Syrian war, in December 2013.[40] However, analysts suggested that despite its alliances with select Free Syrian Army (FSA) commanders, Ansar al-Sham did not coordinate attacks with the FSA in order to avoid angering the Islamic State who actively opposes the FSA.[41]

In addition to umbrella organizations, Ansar al-Sham occasionally formed quasi-formal alliances with militant groups. In April 2016, Ansar al-Sham formed a joint operations room, which is a temporary military alliance among groups involved in an attack, with four other militant groups: Ahrar al-Sham, Jaysh al-Islamic, the First Sahililya Division, and the al-Shamaliyya division.[42] Ansar al-Sham formed this operations room to coordinate the battle of Rad al-Mazalem, known as “preventing and stopping injustices” in English.[43]

State Sponsors And External Influences

Analysts disagreed on the extent to which Saudi Arabia influenced Ansar al-Sham. Aside from the aid it directly gave to Ansar al-Sham, some analysts claimed that Saudi Arabia played a large role in establishing the Islamic Front, an umbrella group that included Ansar al-Sham, and was Syria’s largest alliance of opposition forces with 40,000-70,000 members at its peak. However, other analysts argued that there was little evidence to support this claim aside from Saudi Arabia’s funding for Islamic Front member Jaysh al-Islam.[44]

Footnotes
Footnotes: 

[1] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[2] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[3] Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 2 Aug. 2015. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.

[4] Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 3 Aug. 2015. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.; Westall, Sylvia. Syrian army advances on plain after rebel offensive: monitor. Reuters. Reuters, 1 Aug. 2015. Web 15 Jun. 2016.

[5] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.; Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[6] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[7] "Guide to the Syrian Rebels." BBC News. N.p., 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 05 Aug. 2014.; Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[8] "ISW: Rebels Reopen the Latakia Front." International Study of War. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[9] Lund, Aron. “Islamist Mergers in Syria: Ahrar al-Sham Swallows Suqour al-Sham.” Syria In Crisis. The Carnegie Endowment For International Peace, 23 mar. 2015. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.

[10] "Al Nusrah Front, Allies Form New Coalition for Battle in Aleppo." The Long War Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[11] “Syria: As Conflict Enters Fifth Year, UN-mediated Peace Talks Resume in Geneva." UN News Center. UN, 2016. Web. 05 May 2016.

[12] "Syrian Rebels Launch New Assaults as Opposition Seeks Peace Talks 'pause'" Middle East Eye. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[13] "Executive Summary for April 18th." Syria Deeply Executive Summary for April 18. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[14] “New Statement from Hayy’at Tahrir al-Sham: ‘Kata’ib Ansar al-Sham Joins Hayy’at Tahrir al-Sham.’” Jihadology. Jihadology, Feb 7. 2017. Web. Feb 17. 2017.

[15] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[16] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[17] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014

[18] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[19] "ISW: Rebels Reopen the Latakia Front." International Study of War. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[20] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[21] "Guide to the Syrian Rebels." BBC News. N.p., 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 05 Aug. 2014.

[22] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 35. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[23] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.; Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[24] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[25] Zellin, Aaron. "The Syrian Islamic Front: A New Extremist Force." The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. N.p., 4 Feb. 2013. Web. 08 Aug. 2014.

[26] “Syria: As Conflict Enters Fifth Year, UN-mediated Peace Talks Resume in Geneva." UN News Center. UN, 2016. Web. 05 May 2016.; "Syrian Rebels Launch New Assaults as Opposition Seeks Peace Talks 'Pause.'" Middle East Eye. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[27] "Executive Summary for April 18th." Syria Deeply Executive Summary for April 18. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[28] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[29] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[30] Roggio, Bill. "Chechen Al Qaeda Commander, Popular Saudi Cleric, and an Ahrar Al Sham Leader Spotted on Front Lines in Latakia." Long War Journal.; Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.; Nassief, Isabel, and Charlie Caris. "Rebels Reopen the Latakia Front." Institute for the Study of War. N.p., 9 Apr. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[31] "Al Nusrah Front, Allies Form New Coalition for Battle in Aleppo | The Long War Journal." The Long War Journal. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.

[32] The regime forces defeated in Idlib, and the legend of Sohil al-Hassan, aka al-Nemer (the tiger)”, crashes on its walls. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 6 Jun. 2015. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.; Fisk, Robert. An Audience with ‘The Tiger’-Bashar al-Assad’s  favourite soldier. The Independent. The Independent, 8 Jun. 2014. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.

[33]  The faction fighters target regime forces-controlled areas in Sahl al-Ghab and the western countryside of Hama. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 2 Aug. 2015. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.; About 30 deaths and wound from the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them in the violent clashes in Sahl al-Ghab and the countryside of Jesr al-shoghour. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 3 Aug. 2015. Web. 15 Jun. 2016.; Westall, Sylvia. Syrian army advances on plain after rebel offensive: monitor. Reuters. Reuters, 1 Aug. 2015. Web 15 Jun. 2016.

[34] Miles, Tom and Irish, John. “Syrian terrorist list produces 163 names and no agreement.” Reuters. Thomas Reuters, 17 Feb. 2016. Web. 28 May. 2016.; “Countries List Of Armed Groups Acting In Syria.” Reuters. Thomas Reuters, 2016. Web. 7 May. 2016.

[35] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.

[36] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[37] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[38] Lund, Aron. "Syria's Salafi Insurgents: The Rise of the Syrian Islamic Front." UI Occasional Papers (n.d.): 26. Swedish Institute of International Affairs, Mar. 2013. Web. 7 Aug. 2014.; Roggio, Bill. "Chechen Al Qaeda Commander, Popular Saudi Cleric, and an Ahrar Al Sham Leader Spotted on Front Lines in Latakia." Long War Journal.; Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, 27 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[39] “New Statement from Hayy’at Tahrir al-Sham: ‘Kata’ib Ansar al-Sham Joins Hayy’at Tahrir al-Sham.” Jihadology. Jihadology, Feb 7. 2017. Web. Feb 17. 2017.

[40] "Guide to the Syrian Rebels." BBC News. N.p., 13 Dec. 2013. Web. 05 Aug. 2014.; Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[41] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.

[42] “Syria Countrywide Conflict Report No. 5.” The Carter Center. The Carter Center, Feb. 2015. Web. 1 Jul. 2016

[43] Violent clashes in the Kabani area and aerial bombardment targeted Jabal al-Akrad and Jabal al-Turkman, and factions announce the battle of Rad al-Mazalem. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 18 Apr. 2016. Web. 16 Jun. 2016.

[44] Hussein, Tam. "The Ansar Al-Sham Battalions." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 24 Mar. 2014. Web. 07 Aug. 2014.; Lund, Aron. The Politics of the Islamic Front, Part 1: Structure and Support." Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. N.p., 14 Jan. 2014. Web. 01 Jul. 2014.