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Ansar al-Din Front

Jabhat Ansar al-Din[8] (Arabic: جبهة أنصار الدين, The Supporters of the Religion Front) is a jihadist alliance that announced itself on 25 July 2014, during the Syrian Civil War.[3] The alliance contains two groups: Harakat Sham al-Islam and Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya; it had declared that was not affiliated with any other "parties".[3] The Green Battalion was originally a signatory, but around October 2014, it swore allegiance to the leader of Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar and was integrated into that faction.[15] The alliance had attempted to maintain neutrality in the conflict between ISIL and other groups.[8] On January 28, 2017, it joined with numerous other factions to form Tahrir al-Sham,[16] though portions of it left HTS in February 2018.[10]

Supporters of the Religion Front

Abu Abdullah al-Fajr[1]
Abu Abdullah al-Shami[2]

25 July 2014 – 28 January 2017[3]
1 February 2018 – present (splinter faction)[4]

(Member groups of Ansar al-Din Front - Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya)

  • Liwa Suyuf al-Sham (greater Idlib area)[5]
  • Islamic Dawn Movement of the Levant
    • al-Murabitin Battalion
    • Osama Battalion
    • Abu Ali Yemeni Battalion
    • Abu Hilal Zitan Battalion
  • Abna Sharia[6]
  • Ansar al-Haqq
  • Fursan al-Iman[7]

1,000[1]

The groups involved in the coalition have diverse memberships; Harakat Fajr Sham al-Islamiya numbers mostly Syrians from the Aleppo area,[17] while Harakat Sham al-Islam was formed around a core of Moroccan fighters,[18] the Green Battalion mainly had fighters from Saudi Arabia[18] and Jaish al-Mujahireen wal-Ansar was formed by Chechen and other Russian-speaking fighters.[19] On 23 September 2015, Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar left and joined Jabhat al-Nusra.[20]

25 July 2014: , Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya, Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar and Green Battalion announced the creation of Jabhat Ansar al-Din as an alliance between the four groups.

Harakat Sham al-Islam

3 October 2014: merged under Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar.

Green Battalion

23 September 2015: left the alliance to join Al-Nusra Front.

Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar

10 December 2016: The two remaining factions in the alliance led by Abu Mohammed al-Baydawi and Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya led by Abu Abdullah al-Shami have completely merged under Jabhat Ansar al-Din name, the leader is Abu Abdullah al-Shami.[2]

Harakat Sham al-Islam

28 January 2017: Jabhat Ansar al-Din dissolved itself and joined .

Tahrir al-Sham

1 February 2018: Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya defected from Tahrir al-Sham and resumed working as an independent group under the name Ansar al-Din Front - Harakat Fajr ash-Sham al-Islamiya.

[10]

Relationship with other groups[edit]

The group has stated they desire to maintain a policy of neutrality and independence between various groups in fighting against the Syrian government as well as stating a desire to cooperate with these groups as well,[34] prior the formation of the group the member groups did cooperate with ISIL in early 2014 in besieging the Kweiris airbase.[35]


In an interview in 2015 a representative from the group was asked about their views regarding both al-Nusra and ISIL to which the representative said regarding al-Nusra "The problem is with them, not with us: we are prepared to work with all upright factions whose goals are like ours. It is not hidden from anyone that the goals of the majority of factions are like our goals." He added when asked if al-Nusra has made mistakes on the ground "In my personal opinion indeed we all make mistakes…and perhaps in Jabhat al-Nusra’s point of view it is not necessary to establish a Caliphate while the gangs of Assad exist in Syria." When asked about the group's stance on ISIL he said "We have no relation with IS (Islamic State). We don’t fight them and they don’t fight us. But anyone who says that Jabhat Ansar al-Din is affiliated with IS is lying."[36]

List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War