Army of Revolutionaries

Not to be confused with Army of the Revolution.

Army of Revolutionaries
جيش الثوار
Jayš al-Thuwwār
Leaders
  • Ahmed Mahmoud Sultan ("Abu Araj")[1] (general commander since late 2016)
  • Abdul Malik Bard ("Abu Ali")[2] (former general commander until late 2016)
  • Hasan Banawi ("Abu Juma")[3] (Tribal Forces top commander)
  • Abu Raad Bakary[4]
    (Tribal Forces commander)
  • Khalaf Mus'ab[5]
  • Rami al-Agha[6]
Former:
  • Absi Taha ("Abu Omar")[7] (al-Qa'qa Brigade and former Army of Revolutionaries military commander)
  • Omar Rakhmon ("Tariq Abu Zeid") Surrendered[8][9][10] (former spokesperson)
  • Abu Arab[11] (777th Regiment commander)
  • Abdul Aziz Mirza[11] (Sultan Selim Brigade commander)
Dates of operation3 May 2015–present
HeadquartersTel Rifaat, Aleppo Governorate
Active regions
IdeologyFederalization of Syria
Democracy
Size1,800–3,000 fighters[12][13]
Part of
Former:
Allies Northern Democratic Brigade
Idlib Revolutionaries Brigade
Opponents Islamic State
Al-Nusra Front
Ahrar al-Sham
Syrian opposition Syrian National Army
 Turkey
 Syria
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War[14]
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The Army of Revolutionaries (Arabic: جيش الثوار, romanized: Jayš al-Thuwwār), also known as Jaysh al-Thuwar, is a multi-ethnic armed Syrian rebel coalition that is allied with the primarily Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) and participating in the Syrian Civil War as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Established as a Free Syrian Army coalition in May 2015, with a presence in six governorates, its membership includes Arabs, Kurds, and Turkmen. With its stated aims of fighting both the Syrian government and Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), it was expected to become one of the more relevant rebel alliances in northern Syria, consolidating the democratic rebel spectrum. It was considered one of the "potential powerbrokers" in the Aleppo, Hama, Idlib, and Latakia governorates.[15]

While Jaysh al-Thuwar considers itself to be a part of the rebel mainstream and turned down the U.S. Train-and-Equip-Program because it wanted to be able to fight the Syrian government as well as ISIL, it has always been allied with the YPG. It therefore did not receive Turkish support, rejected the Friends of Syria Group,[13] and became embroiled in open conflict with Islamist rebel groups.

Subsequently, Jaysh al-Thuwar retreated from rebel-held areas and further deepened its bonds with the YPG. In October 2015, it became one of the constituents of the Syrian Democratic Forces, increasingly integrating with the SDF's common frontlines against ISIL and other Islamist forces.

Although it cooperates with the YPG, Jaysh al-Thuwar still considers itself to be part of the Syrian Opposition.[16]

  1. ^ "Factions of the Free Army declare supporting JMC". Hawar News Agency. 29 August 2016. Archived from the original on 5 November 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  2. ^ "Abu Ali cold .. "Rebel Alfnazi" ally of the PYD". Enab Baladi. 14 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Abu Juma, leader of Jaysh al-Thuwar (back), speaking on the phone near the town of Azaz". ITAR-TASS Photo Agency. 10 March 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Tribal forces: Our goal is liberation tenderness and all Syrian territory from terrorism". Hawar News Agency. 19 June 2017. Archived from the original on 24 June 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  5. ^ "Arab revolutionary factions: we will liberate north of Syria". Hawar News Agency. 6 July 2017. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
  6. ^ "Jaish al-Thuwar: Turkey's end would be in al-Shahba". Hawar News Agency. 18 July 2017. Archived from the original on 18 July 2017. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Abu Omar: Some of the media want to distort the image of the rebel army". Hawar News Agency. 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 6 September 2017. Retrieved 14 May 2017.
  8. ^ "Hardline Islamists drove me from opposition back to Assad, says regime negotiator". Syria Direct. 11 April 2017.
  9. ^ "A spokesman for the rebel army: Turkey's armed groups belonging to the base in Syria". Hawar News Agency. 27 February 2016. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  10. ^ "The most prominent stations Omar Rakhmon representative of the regime in Aleppo agreement (Video)". Enab Baladi. 17 December 2016.
  11. ^ a b c "Why Jaish al-Thuwar was bombarded by Turkey". Al-Monitor. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 22 February 2016. Retrieved 21 February 2016.
  12. ^ Hasan Mustafa (16 November 2015). "An Analysis of Jaish al-Thuwar (The Army of Revolutionaries) – A Component of the Syrian Democratic Forces". Hasan Mustafa. Retrieved 16 February 2016.
  13. ^ a b "President of the Political Bureau (Rebel Army): Our goal is the unity of Syria and fighting regime forces and Daesh". Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office. 4 July 2015.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ a b "YPG, allies clash with Syrian opposition groups in Aleppo". Middle East Eye. 29 November 2015.
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference Powerbrokers was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (2 February 2021). "Jaysh al-Thuwar: Component of the Syrian Democratic Forces". Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi. Retrieved 27 May 2021.