(Zaman Al Wasl)- The series of announcements of withdrawals and integrations from those overseeing the Thwar al-Sham Battalions, the faction whose formation was announced in April 2015 under the command of Captain Naji al-Mustafi with a coalition of several brigades operating in the western countryside of Aleppo and supported by the Friends of Syria (MOC) squad raised several questions.
In January 2015, the Battalions integrated with Sham Front (formerly al-Tawhid Brigade) for the announcement to come in the middle of June 2016 of the split of the most prominent leader in the brigade Captain Ali Shah Kurdi from Sham Front. The news followed the announcement from the founding leader Naji al-Mustafi of his separation from the brigade 6 months ago and his joining Sqour al-Jabal Brigade with a large number of his fighters.
Zaman al-Wasl’s attempted to search for the reasons for the divisions in Thwar al-Sham brigade one of the few brigades on the Syrian scene that included tens of officers who dissented from the al-Assad regime. Those whom the newspaper met from the brigade founders and persons knowledgeable about its affairs agreed that personalizing issues and love of leadership were the main two reasons for the brigade to reach this state of dispersion. Sources added that the uncalculated integration processes with other brigades also sped up the division.
A well-informed source in Thwar al-Sham, who preferred not to disclose his name, said that the brigade leaders reacted to all issues without strategic or tactical planning other than the lack of willingness for self-development in tandem with a desire to hold on to their positions and remain at the top of the leadership pyramid.
The source indicated to Zaman al-Wasl to the existence of several attempts to institutionalize Thwar al-Sham brigade through legalizing the military work, generating a political outlook up to the standard of the work, while clarifying that many leaders and members attended cultural training sessions to that end but personalizing issues, according to our speaker, is what destroyed any attempt to develop the brigade.
The Shura Council in the brigade handles assigning leaders. It is formed of civilians and one or two brigade military leaders, but internal divisions in the Council sped up the division of the brigade and their dispersion to other brigades, according to our speaker.
The source saw that the last integration in Sham Front was not suitable at all levels as the incoming brigade did not have the right organization and upholds the mental of al-Hajji. The incoming brigade needed organization whereas the rebels needed money which led them to speed up their integration.
The integration was based on interests rather than ideology leading to the quick dissolution of the project. In addition, the first depended on al-Hajji mentality which made the continued integration with it almost impossible. In turn an authority in Sham front responded to our speaker’s words to say, “Sham Front gave all the authority to the military leader in Thwar al-Sham Ali Shah Kurdi, who later separated from it, knowing that he placed the operational laws and he was the first who wanted to overturn them.”
The source admits that funding for Syrian Rebels brigade came from the Friends of Syria operation room (MOC) for through its representative Captain Ali Shah Kurdi indicating that the funding was based on the presence of a military institution lead by an officer but after its dispersion the support was withdrawn whereas Shah Kurdi is trying to return it after the exit of the group he leads from Sham Front, but he has not succeeded until now.
In turn a source in Amjad al-Islam group led by Ali Shah Kurdi indicated that the principle disagreement with Sham front was the continued presence of the leader of al-Nour group Abu Yassin who was leading Thwar al-Sham at the time of its integration with Sham Front, and his not separating with the larger contributor to Thwar al-Sham which was the Amjad al-Islam group.
The source indicated with numbers that Amjad al-Islam group was larger based on numbers and equipment where its fighters number around 2400 fighters whereas Sham Front has around 600 fighters under the leadership of Abu Yassin at the time that Captain Naji al-Mustafi left the brigade with around 200 members to join Sqour al-Jabal brigade.
Our source thought it unlikely for Thwar al-Sham brigade to be reunited in the continued absence of a complete military plan other than, “the lack of vision and real goals to form a proper army on the ground to protect the land and honor and which is far from the randomness in work and bickering of Arabs.” The source added, “the field developments make it difficult to mature any true military project for the opposition brigades.” Translation by Rana Abdul
In January 2015, the Battalions integrated with Sham Front (formerly al-Tawhid Brigade) for the announcement to come in the middle of June 2016 of the split of the most prominent leader in the brigade Captain Ali Shah Kurdi from Sham Front. The news followed the announcement from the founding leader Naji al-Mustafi of his separation from the brigade 6 months ago and his joining Sqour al-Jabal Brigade with a large number of his fighters.
Zaman al-Wasl’s attempted to search for the reasons for the divisions in Thwar al-Sham brigade one of the few brigades on the Syrian scene that included tens of officers who dissented from the al-Assad regime. Those whom the newspaper met from the brigade founders and persons knowledgeable about its affairs agreed that personalizing issues and love of leadership were the main two reasons for the brigade to reach this state of dispersion. Sources added that the uncalculated integration processes with other brigades also sped up the division.
A well-informed source in Thwar al-Sham, who preferred not to disclose his name, said that the brigade leaders reacted to all issues without strategic or tactical planning other than the lack of willingness for self-development in tandem with a desire to hold on to their positions and remain at the top of the leadership pyramid.
The source indicated to Zaman al-Wasl to the existence of several attempts to institutionalize Thwar al-Sham brigade through legalizing the military work, generating a political outlook up to the standard of the work, while clarifying that many leaders and members attended cultural training sessions to that end but personalizing issues, according to our speaker, is what destroyed any attempt to develop the brigade.
The Shura Council in the brigade handles assigning leaders. It is formed of civilians and one or two brigade military leaders, but internal divisions in the Council sped up the division of the brigade and their dispersion to other brigades, according to our speaker.
The source saw that the last integration in Sham Front was not suitable at all levels as the incoming brigade did not have the right organization and upholds the mental of al-Hajji. The incoming brigade needed organization whereas the rebels needed money which led them to speed up their integration.
The integration was based on interests rather than ideology leading to the quick dissolution of the project. In addition, the first depended on al-Hajji mentality which made the continued integration with it almost impossible. In turn an authority in Sham front responded to our speaker’s words to say, “Sham Front gave all the authority to the military leader in Thwar al-Sham Ali Shah Kurdi, who later separated from it, knowing that he placed the operational laws and he was the first who wanted to overturn them.”
The source admits that funding for Syrian Rebels brigade came from the Friends of Syria operation room (MOC) for through its representative Captain Ali Shah Kurdi indicating that the funding was based on the presence of a military institution lead by an officer but after its dispersion the support was withdrawn whereas Shah Kurdi is trying to return it after the exit of the group he leads from Sham Front, but he has not succeeded until now.
In turn a source in Amjad al-Islam group led by Ali Shah Kurdi indicated that the principle disagreement with Sham front was the continued presence of the leader of al-Nour group Abu Yassin who was leading Thwar al-Sham at the time of its integration with Sham Front, and his not separating with the larger contributor to Thwar al-Sham which was the Amjad al-Islam group.
The source indicated with numbers that Amjad al-Islam group was larger based on numbers and equipment where its fighters number around 2400 fighters whereas Sham Front has around 600 fighters under the leadership of Abu Yassin at the time that Captain Naji al-Mustafi left the brigade with around 200 members to join Sqour al-Jabal brigade.
Our source thought it unlikely for Thwar al-Sham brigade to be reunited in the continued absence of a complete military plan other than, “the lack of vision and real goals to form a proper army on the ground to protect the land and honor and which is far from the randomness in work and bickering of Arabs.” The source added, “the field developments make it difficult to mature any true military project for the opposition brigades.” Translation by Rana Abdul
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