Junud al-Sham

Junud al-Sham (Soldiers of the Levant), sometimes also called Jund al-Sham,[3] is a group of Chechen and Lebanese Sunni mujahideen that fight in the Syrian Civil War and are led by Muslim Abu Walid al Shishani.

Not to be confused with Jund al-Sham.
Junud al-Sham
جنود الشام‎
LeadersMuslim Abu Walid al Shishani[1]
Dates of operation2012 – present
Group(s)Liwaa Usud al-Idlam Artillery and Infantry Battalion (former)[2]
HeadquartersJisr al-Shughur[3]
Active regionsSyria
IdeologySunni Islamism
Salafi movement
Size30 (2016 estimate)[6]
Allies Ahrar al-Sham[5]
Tahrir al-Sham[1]
Group of the One and Only[7]
Opponents Syria
 Iran
 Russia
Syrian Resistance
Hezbollah
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (2017-2018)
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War

History

Unlike many other foreign mujahideen, Junud al-Sham remained mostly independent from other Syrian rebel groups. Many of its fighters defected to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant commander Abu Omar al-Shishani in 2014. The remainder of the group remained combat-ready, and continued to take part in military operations in 2015.[3] Financial difficulties caused a further decline, however, and some sources claimed that it was reduced to merely 30 fighters by early 2016.[6] Many of its members had reportedly left in order to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In a video address, Muslim Shishani consequently reproached other insurgent groups in Syria for not providing assistance, which regional expert Joanna Paraszczuk described as a "rant".[6][9] In September 2016, Junud al-Sham travelled to Hama Governorate in order to fight in a local rebel offensive.[10] Later that year, there were reports according to which the group had dissolved, reportedly as result of clashes with Ahrar al-Sham,[11] with many of its Chechen fighters reportedly joining Ajnad al-Kavkaz.[12]

Despite these reports, however, other reports suggested remnants of Junud al-Sham were still active by 2018. In January 2018, pro-government media reported that "a military source in Damascus" said the group took part in a major military campaign against the government in northwestern Syria.[13] Meanwhile, the Turkish newspaper Yeni Akit claimed he was participating in the Turkish military operation in Afrin.[14] However, Shishani denied that he or his followers were in Afrin, and confirmed he was in Hama, fighting alongside another Chechen militia, Tarkhan Gaziyev's Katiba Abd Ar-Rahman.[15] A German foreign fighter with the group named Abu Khalid al-Shami said in an interview from 22 July 2019 that the group clashed with ISIL in Abu Dali.[16]

See also

References
  1. "Split Among North Caucasian Fighters in Syria". The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst. 2 July 2014. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  2. ""Jaish al-Hama" regional rebel merger pledges allegiance to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham". Conflict News. 15 August 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017.
  3. Mairbek Vatchagaev (1 October 2015). "Is Moscow Set to Target Russians Fighting Against Assad in Syria?". Jamestown Foundation. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  4. "Syrian opposition groups fail to capture Aleppo prison". Al Monitor. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  5. "Chechen al Qaeda commander, popular Saudi cleric, and an Ahrar al Sham leader spotted on front lines in Latakia". Long War Journal. 27 March 2014. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  6. Joanna Paraszczuk (12 January 2016). "Muslim Shishani makes video address about situation in Latakia". From Chechnya to Syria. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  7. "GUEST POST: The 4 Chechen Brigades In Jamaat Ahadun Ahad". From Chechnya To Syria. 16 August 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  8. Weiss, Caleb (23 April 2015). "Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria involved in new Idlib offensive". Long War Journal.
  9. "Chechens Fighting in Syria Increasingly Joining Forces With Islamic State". Jamestown Foundation. 3 March 2016.
  10. Fadel, Leith (14 September 2016). "Chechen jihadist group joins rebels in northern Hama". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 14 September 2016.
  11. "Der Syrische Bürgerkrieg - Update 19 04 2017". Truppendienst.com (Austrian Armed Forces) (in German). 27 April 2017. Retrieved 18 March 2017.
  12. Rao Komar (19 November 2016). "Most Chechens left and joined Ajnad al-Kavkaz. Junud leader Muslim Shishani has not joined another group and is not fighting currently". Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  13. Leith Aboufadel (26 January 2018). "Al-Qaeda linked Chechen group and infamous commander head to southern Idlib to fight Syrian Army". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  14. "Ünlü Çeçen komutan Zeytin Dalı operasyonuna katıldı". yeniakit (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  15. Joanna Paraszczuk (29 January 2018). "Tarkhan's jamaat (Katiba abd ar-Rahman) fighting in Hama alongside Muslim Shishani". From Chechnya to Syria. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  16. Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (8 September 2019). "A German Muhajir in al-Sham: Interview". Retrieved 26 September 2020.
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