Levant Front

Levant Front
الجبهة الشامية al-Jabha al-Shamiyah Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Active	25 December 2014[1]–18 April 2015; 18 June 2015–Present
Ideology	Salafism[1] Sunni Islamism[1] Islamic Democracy[1] (depending on the member group)
Groups	Thuwar al-Sham Battalion (former) Liwa Jund al-Islam[2] Hazzm Movement (remnants) Syria Revolutionaries Front (remnants) Al-Tawhid Brigade (remnants) Abu Amara Brigades (former)
Leaders	Abu Amr[3][4]
Headquarters	Azaz, Aleppo, Syria
Area of operations	Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Strength	5,000-8,000
Part of	Fatah Halab[5] Jaysh Halab[6][7] Mare' Operations Room[8] Hawar Kilis Operations Room Rad al-Mazalem[9][10][11][12] Free Syrian Army[13] Syrian Revolutionary Command Council
Allies	Turkey Islamic Front (dissolved) Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (dissolved) Al-Nusra Front[14] Harakat Sham al-Islam Syrian Turkmen Brigades Ansar al-Sharia (dissolved)
Opponents	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Democratic Forces Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[15]
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo[16] Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War[15]

The Levant Front or Jabhat al-Shamiyah (Arabic: الجبهة الشامية‎‎, also translated as the al-Sham Front or Levantine Front)^[17] are Aleppo-based rebels involved in the Syrian Civil War.^[18] Its membership includes the major Sunni Islamist groups operating in northern Syria, representing a spectrum of ideologies from hardline Salafism to apolitical factions linked to the Free Syrian Army.^[1] It was formed in December 2014.

History

Initial formation

Following months of negotiations in Turkey and northern Syria between the Islamic Front (Al-Tawhid Brigade), Army of Mujahedeen, Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki, Fastaqim Kama Umirt, Liwa Ahrar Souriya and the Authenticity and Development Front, on 25 December 2014, the factions announced that they had combined their forces into a joint command called the Levant Front.^[1][19] The Western backed Hazzm Movement joined the coalition on 30 January 2015,^[20] and announced its dissolution and merger with into other Levant Front factions on 1 March 2015.^[21]

On 20 February 2015, the Levant Front successfully forced the Syrian Army forces to retreat from rural towns in Aleppo;^[22] during the clashes group has killed 300 Syrian soldiers and captured 110.^[23]

In February 2015, Abu Amara Brigades joined the Levant Front.^[24] However, in October 2015 the group left the Levant Front and joined Ahrar al-Sham.^[25]

Dissolution and reestablishment in 2015

On 18 April 2015, the Levant Front announced its dissolution as an alliance, however it stated that the member factions would continue to coordinate with each other militarily. Reasons behind the split are believed to include a lack of coordination between the groups and increasing defections of its members to other factions.^[26][27] Following its end as a single unified group, it continued to act as a joint operations room.^[28]

On 26 April 2015, along with other major Aleppo based groups, they established the Fatah Halab joint operations room.^[5][29] Also in April, Thuwar al-Sham Battalion joined the Front..

The group announced its reactivation on 18 June. Their new leader is Abu Amr, who is an Ahrar ash-Sham commander.^[3][4] On 29 June, the Levant Front released their charter.^[30]

Since its reactivation on 18 June the Levant Front operates as a unified group with former members acting as independent groups.^[31]

The core of their fighters come from former members of al-Tawhid Brigade, Hazzm Movement and the northern branch of the Syria Revolutionaries Front.

SDF offensive against the Levant Front

The Syrian Democratic Forces successfully drove out the Levant Front from a former Syrian military airbase in Syria's north on 10 February 2016. After days of fierce clashes that saw YPG and Jaysh al-Thuwar forces take over a series of villages before reaching and capturing the Menagh Military Airbase and the village of Minîh from the Levant Front. According to sources quoted by Reuters they were supported by 30 Russian airstrikes. The Syrian Kurds initiated this offensive following the recent Syrian offensive on opposition forces in Aleppo supported by Russian airstrikes. The Kurds advanced from Syrian Kurdistan's most isolated westward canton of Afrin which had been attacked multiple times by Islamist groups such as Jabhat al-Nusra. The aim was to prevent attacks on Afrin canton and close the Turkish border to these various Islamist groups.^[32][33][34]

See also

• List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War

References

Syrian Civil War
Part of the Arab Spring
Background Timeline Background 1963 coup d'état 1966 coup d'état 1970 "Corrective Revolution" 1979–82 Islamic uprising 1999 Latakia protests 2000–01 Damascus Spring 2004 al-Qamishli riots Syrian occupation of Lebanon 2005 Damascus Declaration Human rights in Syria 2011 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Death of Hamza Ali Al-Khateeb Siege of Daraa Siege of Baniyas Talkalakh siege Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Jisr ash-Shugur operation Siege of Hama Siege of Homs Jabal al-Zawiya operation Siege of Latakia Deir ez-Zor Clashes Rif Dimashq clashes Battle of Zabadani Battle of Douma Daraa Governorate clashes First Battle of Rastan Shayrat and Tiyas airbase ambush Idlib Governorate clashes Jabal al-Zawiya massacres 2012 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) al-Midan bombing Second Battle of Rastan First Idlib operation First Battle of Idlib First Battle of al-Qusayr Second Idlib operation Battle of Taftanaz Third Battle of Rastan Houla massacre Battle of al-Haffah Al-Qubeir massacre Battle of Tremseh Battle of Damascus Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo Battle of Anadan Siege of Base 46 First Rif Dimashq offensive Darayya massacre Battle of Khirbet al-Joz Battle of Maarrat al-Nu'man First Siege of Wadi Deif Battle of Harem Second Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Darayya Aqrab massacre First Hama offensive Halfaya massacre Battle of Darayya Quneitra Governorate clashes Talbiseh bakery massacre 2013 (Jan–Apr • May–Dec) Battle of Safira Battle of Shadadeh Damascus offensive Battle of Raqqa Daraa offensive Third Rif Dimashq offensive Battle of Jdaidet al-Fadl Ghouta chemical attack Al-Qusayr offensive Second Battle of al-Qusayr Bayda and Baniyas massacres Second Hama offensive Hatla massacre Khan al-Assal chemical attack Khan al-Assal massacre Adra massacre Battle of Ras al-Ayn Fourth Rif Dimashq offensive Aleppo offensive 2014 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) First Inter-Rebel Conflict Battle of Markada First Deir ez-Zor Offensive Battle of Mork 2nd Daraa Offensive Maan massacre Al-Otaiba ambush 4th Idlib Offensive Battle of Hosn 2nd Latakia Offensive Battle of Al-Malihah Kafr Zita chemical attack Second Siege of Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Offensive Battle of Arsal First Battle of the Shaer gas field Eastern Syria Offensive Battle for Tabqa Air base 3rd Hama Offensive Quneitra Offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Siege of Kobanî 3rd Daraa offensive 2nd Al-Safira offensive Idlib Raid Second Inter-Rebel Conflict Second Battle of the Shaer gas field Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 2nd Deir ez-Zor offensive 2015 (Jan–Jul • Aug–Dec) An-26 crash 4th Daraa Offensive Southern Syria Offensive Eastern al-Hasakah offensive 1st Battle of Sarrin 2nd Battle of Sarrin Battle of Bosra 5th Idlib Offensive Second Battle of Idlib Battle of Nasib Border Crossing 2nd Battle of Yarmouk Camp Western al-Hasakah offensive Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Tell Abyad offensive Kobanî massacre Quneitra offensive Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) 7th Rif Dimashq offensive Northwestern Syria offensive 2015 Aleppo offensive 2015 Al-Hawl offensive Homs offensive (November–December 2015) East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Latakia offensive (2015–2016) Tishrin Dam offensive 2015 Russian Sukhoi Su-24 shootdown 2016 (Jan–Apr • May–Aug • Sep–Dec) Second Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin 3rd Deir ez-Zor offensive Sayyidah Zaynab bombings Wusta clashes Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016) Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (February–March 2016) Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) February Homs bombings February Sayyidah Zaynab bombings 2016 Khanasir offensive Battle of Tel Abyad Qamishli clashes (April 2016) Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016) 8th Rif Dimashq offensive Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016) May 2016 Jableh and Tartous bombings Ithriyah-Raqqah offensive (June 2016) 9th Rif Dimashq offensive Manbij offensive (2016) Tokhar 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Battle of al-Rai (August 2016) 2016 Aleppo campaign Jarabulus offensive (2016) Western al-Bab offensive (2016) 5 September 2016 Syria bombings September 2016 Deir ez-Zor air raid September 2016 Urum al-Kubra Aid Convoy Attack September Aleppo offensive 2016 Dabiq offensive Western al-Bab offensive (October 2016) Aleppo offensive (October 2016) Khan al-Shih offensive (October 2016) Northern Raqqa offensive (November 2016) Northern al-Bab offensive (November 2016) Battle of al-Bab (2016) Aleppo offensive (November 2016) Palmyra offensive (December 2016) Battle of Tiyas Military Airbase Spillover Spillover into Lebanon Lebanese–Syrian border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian Embassy Bombing Northern Lebanon Clashes Syrian-Turkish border clashes December 2011 Syrian–Turkish border clash Turkish aircraft shootdown October 2012 Syrian-Turkish border clashes Reyhanlı bombings January 2014 Turkish airstrike in Syria Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line incidents Jordanian-Syrian border clashes April 2014 Jordanian–Syrian border airstrike Spillover into Iraq Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi–Syrian border airstrike
Involved parties Syria Ba'ath Government| Syrian Regional Branch of the Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party Military & Militias Syrian Armed Forces Ba'ath Brigades Syrian Resistance Syrian Social Nationalist Party PFLP-GC Palestine Liberation Army Liwa al-Quds Smaller groups Support for the government Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russia's involvement military intervention Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces (Iraq) Syrian opposition, Al-Qaeda affiliates and allies NCSR Government National Coalition Local Co-ordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Opposition militias Jaysh al-Halab Fatah Halab Hawar Kilis Southern Front Jaysh al-Islam Al-Rahman Legion Liwa al-Majid Martyrs of Islam Brigade Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union Victory Brigades New Syrian Army Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya Forces of Martyr Ahmad al-Abdo Jabhat Ansar al-Islam Alwiya al-Furqan Army of Conquest Jabhat Fateh al-Sham Ahrar al-Sham Sham Legion Harakat Nour al-Din al-Zenki Jaysh al-Sunna Suqour al-Sham Brigade Liwa al-Haqq Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria Allied groups Muslim Brotherhood of Syria Grey Wolves Jabhat Ansar al-Din Ansar al-Sham Caucasus Emirate Ajnad al-Kavkaz Junud al Makhdi Support for the Opposition American-led intervention American rescue mission Jordanian intervention Qatari involvement Saudi Arabia Turkey Rojava (SDF) Rojava government Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political groups SDF groups People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Al-Sanadid Forces Syriac Military Council Army of Revolutionaries Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Al-Nukhbat Brigade Free Officers Union Northern Democratic Brigade SDF Military Councils Allied groups Euphrates Knights Brigade Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion TKP-Kıvılcım Yekîtî Party Sinjar Resistance Units ISIL Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Military of ISIL Jamaat Bayt al-Maqdis al-Islamiya Dokumacılar Allied groups Khalid ibn al-Walid Army
People Ammar Abdulhamid Ali al-Abdallah Adnan al-Aroor al-Assad family Bashar Maher Rifaat Rami Makhlouf Hafez Makhlouf Riad al-Asaad Anwar al-Bunni Fahd Jassem al-Freij Haitham al-Maleh Moaz al-Khatib Kamal al-Labwani Hamza al-Khateeb Tal al-Mallohi Fida al-Sayed Riad al-Turk Khaled Khoja Ammar al-Qurabi Suheir Atassi Ali Sadreddine Al-Bayanouni Aref Dalila Farid Ghadry Burhan Ghalioun Razan Ghazzawi Ghassan Hitto Salim Idris Randa Kassis Abdul Halim Khaddam Michel Kilo Bassma Kodmani Ali Habib Mahmud Ali Mahmoud Othman Ibrahim Qashoush Dawoud Rajiha Yassin al-Haj Saleh Bouthaina Shaaban Adib Shishakly Abdulbaset Sieda Riad Seif Fadwa Soliman Mohamad Anas Haitham Soueid Yaser Tabbara Razan Zaitouneh Rami Jarrah Abdurrahman Mustafa
Issues Peace process Related topics Issues Casualties Chemical weapons Cities and towns Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International reactions International demonstrations and protests Massacres Refugees (European migrant crisis) Sectarianism and minorities Spillover into Lebanon Syrian reactions Peace process Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN Supervision Mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II Conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement 2015 Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Related topics 2014 Syrian detainee report Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian media coverage The Return to Homs Silvered Water, Syria Self-Portrait Sunnistan
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