Liwaa al-Umma

Liwaa al-Umma
لواء الامة
LeadersMahdi Al-Harati (April 2012 - September 2012)
Abu Farouk
Dates of operationApril 2012 – 23 September 2015
Active regionsHama, Syria
IdeologySalafi jihadism[1]
Size6,000+ (July 2012)
Part ofSyria Free Syrian Army (September 2012[2]–13 January 2014)
Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance (13 January 2014 – 23 September 2015) [3]
AlliesLiwa al-Haqq[4]
Jund al-Aqsa[4]
Opponents Syrian Armed Forces
National Defense Force
Designated as a terrorist group by Malaysia[5]

Liwaa al-Umma (Arabic: لواء الامة Liwāʼ al-Ummah, meaning "Banner of the Nation") was a Salafi jihadist group fighting against the Syrian government in the Syrian Civil War. The group was founded by Mahdi Al-Harati, an Irish-Libyan[6] who led the Libyan rebel Tripoli Brigade during the Battle of Tripoli.[7] Harati stepped down as the group's leader after six months, leaving Syrians in charge.[7] In September 2012, it aligned itself with the Free Syrian Army.[2]

By January 2014, Liwaa al-Umma had joined with other rebel groups in Hama Governorate, including Liwa al-Haqq and Jund al-Aqsa, into a Salafi jihadist coalition called the Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance (not to be confused with the Chechen-led Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar).[4][8]

  1. ^ "The new face of the Syrian rebellion". The Arab Chronicle. 5 March 2014. Archived from the original on 26 March 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  2. ^ a b Fitzgerald, Mary (24 September 2012). "Rebel army moves command centre inside Syria to organise fractured forces". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  3. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeuxycGXoZA&feature=c4-overview&list=UUSCzrmZBD3wAXVb3_6HAlfQ بيان تحالف المهاجرين و الأنصار
  4. ^ a b c Aron Lund (27 January 2014). "The Other Syrian Peace Process". Carnegie Endowment for Peace. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  5. ^ http://www.moha.gov.my/images/maklumat_bahagian/KK/kdndomestic.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ "Irish Libyans join rebels trying to oust Gadafy". Irish Times. 13 August 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
  7. ^ a b "الحارثي آمر "لواء الأمة": 99% من المقاتلين معي سوريون, أخبــــــار". Aawsat.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-05. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
  8. ^ Cedric Labrousse (5 March 2014). "The new face of the Syrian rebellion". Arab Chronicle. Archived from the original on 25 April 2014. Retrieved 23 April 2014.