Largest Syrian opposition factions in Aleppo merge

Largest Syrian opposition factions in Aleppo merge
The largest opposition factions fighting the regime and the Islamic State group in the Aleppo region announce a merger.
4 min read
29 December, 2014
A new military force has emerged among the opposition in the Aleppo region [Karam al-Masry/AFP]
Opposition factions fighting the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria and so called Islamic State  in Aleppo and the surrounding region have announced they are merging to form a new group, the Shamiyya Front ("The Levant Front").

The merger is the largest of its kind in the area. Opposition forces in the region have been been weakened by internal division and have recently suffered serious reverses at the hands of the regime and the IS.


It appears that armed factions will form a single command and control structure, which should resolve the problems of internal division and lack of coordination they have faced.

They are the largest Syrian opposition factions in the Aleppo region, excluding the IS and the Nusra Front.

In a video statement, leaders of the Islamic Front, the Mujahideen Army, the Fastaqim Kama Umirta group ("Be upright as ordered"), the Noureddine Zangi Movement, and the al-Asala wal-Tanmiya Front ("Authenticity and Development Front") all announced their merger into the Shamiyya Front, to be led by the leader of the Islamic Front in Aleppo, Abdul Aziz al-Salama.


A force to be reckoned with?

The united factions are the largest, most effective and influential of the Syrian opposition factions in the Aleppo region, excluding the IS and the Nusra Front, an al-Qaeda affiliate that has reached an informal understanding with the IS and has recently made significant gains in the region.

Forces from the Islamic Front are currently deployed on engagement lines against the IS in the various towns in the countryside to the north of Aleppo near the Syrian-Turkish border.


Allied with other opposition factions in and around Aleppo, Islamic Front forces have been fighting to stop the Syrian regime's attempts over the last two months to seize control of strategic areas north of Aleppo, cutting off opposition forces fighting the regime in Aleppo itself.


The Army of Mujahedeen is a group of Syrian opposition brigades stationed in Aleppo's western countryside, fighting Syrian regime forces west of the city near Dahiyat Aqrab and Souq al-Jibs, near the Asad Military Academy, the most important base of the Syrian regime in the neighbourhood of al-Hamdaniyah, southwest of the city.


Forces from the Mujahedeen Army are deployed in the countryside west of Aleppo and in a number of neighbourhoods in Aleppo itself alongside other opposition forces.


The Noureddine Zangi Movement also fights alongside the Mujahedeen Army against Syrian regime forces in the south and west of Aleppo and in the countryside west of Aleppo.


As for the Fastaqim Kama Umirta group, which includes brigades formed mostly of Aleppo residents, it fights against the Syrian regime in the the southern Aleppo neighbourhoods of Salaheddin, al-Zebdiyah and al-Sukari.


The al-Asala wal-Tanmiya Front is the weakest and lightest represented on the ground among the factions in the new Shamiya Front.


By merging into the Shamiya Front, these factions have formed the largest military power among opposition forces in northern Syria, excluding the IS. The factions that have not yet joined the new Front cannot match it in terms of military power and ground held.

The Shamiya Front leadership welcomes any opposition faction wishing to join it, from anywhere in the country.

The merger is the largest of its kind since the beginning of armed clashes between Asad's forces and the opposition forces around Aleppo three years ago.


An end to division

Saqer Abu Qutaiba, leader of the Fastaqim Kama Umirta group, told al-Araby al-Jadeed that the united opposition factions have agreed to end the use of their names and banners and merge under the name of Shamiya Front, and report to a united military leadership and Shura council.


Abu Qutaiba added the leaders of the united factions have agreed on a three month transitional period for the merger. He also stressed the Shamiya Front leadership would welcome any other opposition faction that wished to join it, from Aleppo and its surrounding countryside or anywhere else in the country.


This merger will likely enhance the position of the opposition factions fighting the Syrian regime and the IS on the ground and should permit more effective coordination of military efforts. Division and poor coordination have been blamed for allowing Asad's forces and the IS to make advances.


This is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.