October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes

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October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes
Part of the inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
File:Idlib Governorate with Districts.png
Date4–13 October 2016
(1 week and 2 days)
Location
Idlib Governorate and Hama Governorate, Syria
Result

Ceasefire; Jund al-Aqsa joins al-Nusra Front[5][6]

Belligerents

File:Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Ahrar al-Sham

File:Flag of Jund al-Aqsa.svg Jund al-Aqsa
File:Flag of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.svg Jabhat Fateh al-Sham[2]

File:Islamic State flag.svg Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[3][4]
Commanders and leaders
File:Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Abu Yahia al-Hamawi[9]
(general commander of Ahrar al-Sham)
File:Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Muhammad al-Dabbous Executed[10][1]
(Ahrar al-Sham senior commander)
File:Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Ali Hilal al-Ahmad Executed
(Ahrar al-Sham commander)[11]		 File:Flag of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham.svg Abu Mohammad al-Julani
Strength
Unknown 1,600 fighters[12]
Casualties and losses
Unknown number of dead, 800 defected[12] Unknown number of dead, 150 defected to ISIL[2]
100–170 fighters killed on both sides[13][14]

The October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes were a series of violent confrontations between the Salafist jihadist group Jund al-Aqsa and the Salafist Syrian rebel group the Ahrar al-Sham, supported by several other rebel groups. The two groups were previously allied during the 2016 Hama offensive, but sporadic clashes also occurred time by time.[15]

The clashes

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Tensions between the two groups initiated on 4 October, when Ahrar al-Sham captured a Jund al-Aqsa member accused of being a cell for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In response, Jund al-Aqsa militants kidnapped an Ahrar al-Sham member, beat his wife, and shot his brother. Both sides called for the release of their captured members and threatened military action.[15]

The conflict escalated on 6 October, as clashes broke out throughout the Idlib Governorate and the northern Hama Governorate. Jund al-Aqsa captured all Ahrar al-Sham positions in the town of Khan Shaykhun and attacked them in northern Hama, while Ahrar al-Sham expelled the former from Maarat al-Nu'man and 4 other villages in Idlib.[7] 800 fighters from Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham defected to Jund al-Aqsa during the clashes.[12]

As a reaction to the clashes, several other rebel groups signed a statement announcing that they would side with Ahrar al-Sham against Jund al-Aqsa in the conflict. The signatory groups were:[16] Jaysh al-Islam, Suqour al-Sham Brigade, Sham Legion, Army of Mujahideen, Fatah Halab, and Fastaqim Union.

On 8 October, clashes between the two groups spread to a village in Jabal Zawiya,[17] and a senior military commander of Ahrar al-Sham was killed.[10] The next day, in an attempt to end the conflict and find protection, Jund al-Aqsa pledged its allegiance to the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front (also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham). However, clashes continued in Idlib, after Ahrar al-Sham rejected the move and vowed to continue fighting Jund al-Aqsa.[8]

Two days later, a ceasefire agreement was signed between Jund al-Aqsa, Ahrar al-Sham, and al-Nusra.[5] However, clashes between the two groups soon erupted again in Idlib.[18] In addition, Jund al-Aqsa, along with al-Nusra, reportedly attacked a base of Ahrar Al-Sham in the town of Tahtaya.[19] Meanwhile, 150 Jund al-Aqsa fighters reportedly defected to ISIL as result of the rebel infighting and their group's pledge to the al-Nusra Front.[2]

On 13 October, the general commander of Ahrar al-Sham announced the "end" of Jund al-Aqsa.[6]

Aftermath

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Main article: Idlib Governorate clashes (2017)

On 22 October, Jund al-Aqsa as part of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham attacked Ahrar al-Sham's headquarter in Sarmin.[20]

In January 2017, the al-Nusra Front launched several coordinated attacks against Ahrar al-Sham headquarters and positions in the northern Idlib Governorate, near the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing. In addition, al-Nusra also attacked Ahrar al-Sham outposts in Darkush and Jisr al-Shughur.[21] On 20 January, Jund al-Aqsa raided an Ahrar al-Sham prison in the Zawiya Mountain and freed 13 of their prisoners.[22]

See also

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References

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