Its banner was soon adopted by armed groups that began appearing across the country. The free syrian army fsa was formed in august 2011 by army deserters based in turkey, led by col riad alasaad. Initially, the fsa was formed to defend civilians in locations where protests. By december 2011, estimates of the number of defectors to the fsa ranged from 1,000 to over 25,000. Five resistance fighters, five tales of war, victory and defeat. Syrian army simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The group was founded by colonel riad alasad, a former syrian air force officer who defected in july 2011. As syrian president bashar al assads hold on western parts of syria solidifies, the cia. I found this other independent source that helped corroborate the pdf s. Methodology we have divided the known active syrian opposition and associated factions into seven categories.
It was the great hope of the rebels, who believed that with sufficient funding and weapons from arab and western states it could bring down bashar assads army. The attack by the free syrian army fsa on an air force intelligence base in the suburbs of the capital damascus on november 16 has raised the profile of the band of army deserters, who are. Free syrian army, turkish military likely planning a new. Nusras crushing of the srf and harakat hazm did not end the fsa in the north.
It was form ed by the defected of ficers of the syrian armed forces. Activists committed to preserving the revolts pacifism have a stake in playing down its relevance. In the first day, they took control of jarabulus from isil. A member of the free syrian army stands guard at a checkpoint after clashes with progovernment forces in. The free syrian army fsa is the moderate armed opposition fighting across syria, to free the syrian people from the assad regime, its foreign militia and daesh. The fsa formed in 2011 when peaceful protests in syria were met with violent force from syrian government forces. Emre peker and donna abunasr, syrian armed forces desertion said to surge to 60,000, bloomberg, march 15, 2012. Formed on 23 august 2011, the national council is a coalition of antigovernment groups, based in turkey. Other articles where free syrian army is discussed. The following collaboratively written article is the result of months of research in a joint project by ryan ofarrell and cody roche. A string of attacks on syrian security forces in recent weeks has put the spotlight on the free syrian army fsa, a group of army deserters said to have been formed by a.
Kadi, a deeply religious man partial to muslim prayer beads and oddball humor, was a tech whiz with a degree in computer engineering. Faces of the free syrian army war is boring medium. The structure and organization of the syrian opposition. Free syrian army subgroups unite to form national army. The free syrian army was formed by honorable officers, junior officers, and soldiers who defected from the regime because they refused to kill their fellow citizens. However, by march 2012, many more soldiers, unhappy with crackdowns on prodemocracy protesters, switched sides and turkish officials said that 60,000 soldiers had deserted the syrian army, including. Defected soldiers formed free syrian army antigovernment forces in syria known as the free syrian army have gained ground against the regime of. The free syrian army on the local level engages and ambushes the states shabiha militia and confronts the army during which it encourages defections. Free syrian army turns to turkey for support in war.
Free syrian army grows in influence syria al jazeera. Its baseless to say the fsa is a group of defected syrian troops, thats only for western masses to buy. Syria opposition groups form new government in idlib. Aug, 2016 the following collaboratively written article is the result of months of research in a joint project by ryan ofarrell and cody roche. Syrian army colonel defects, forms free syrian army, asharq al. The free syrian army fsa has evolved signifi cantly since its emergence in the summer of 2011. The pdfs also have bibliographies and it seems to me that they did their research. United kingdom and free french occupied the country in july 1941. Army of conquest was formed by islamist rebel factions mainly active in the. At october 1, 2011, according to highranking defected syrian colonel riad assaad, 10,000 soldiers, including highranking officers, had deserted the syrian army. Fragmentation and disorganization have plagued syrias armed opposition since peaceful protestors took up arms in december 2011 and began forming rebel groups under the umbrella of the free syrian army. The national army, syrias largest armed group since the breakout of the civil war in 2011, has reportedly formed under the guidance of turkey. Kadis mission was to bring it to the free syrian army, or fsa, the u.
Thousands of protesters gather in homs to greet them, but the league suspends its. A formal organization at its founding, its structure gradually dissipated by late 2012, and the fsa. Free syrian army, the syrian liberation front, the syrian islamic front. As of early 2017 there were some 15,00 fighters loyal to the fsa, according to estimates.
The national army is a new army composed of 36 different opposition groups under the umbrella of the free syrian army fsa, which has divided into three army corps. It started from local military forces created by france after world war i. How the free syrian army became a largely criminal enterprise. The free syrian army, which is considered moderate when compared to islamist rebel groups in syria, was formed at the start of the syrian civil war in august 2011. Civil unrest religious war proxy warcold war arab winter not just a civil war. They were joined by brave civilians whose families and homes were destroyed by assads aggression. As the syrian opposition begins to build a transitional government, the smc could create a framework for rebuilding syria s security and governing institutions if. Some members of the free syrian army have stated that the organization does not have the resources to occupy and take control of territories, and instead relies primarily on hit and run attacks to prompt the syrian army into withdrawing. The free syrian army institute for the study of war. The free syrian army fsa and its supporters have produced a stream. Browse the independents complete collection of articles and commentary on free syrian army. Recently, the opposition has established a new national military structure that may grow to serve this purpose. Syria, code of conduct of the free syrian army how does law. The syrian army, officially the syrian arab army saa arabic.
The official aims of the group are to assist the republic of turkey in creating a safe zone in syria, and to establish a national army. This article deals with a specific aspect of the us role in the syrian conflict. The free syrian army fsa has evolved significantly since its emergence in the summer of 2011. The free syrian army fsa and the turkish troops plan to launch a new operation in northern syria in the next few weeks, one of the fsa field commanders ahmed usman told tass on friday. The free syrian army fsa is an armed opposition organization conducting operations in syria against bashar alasads baathist regime. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the most senior posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the combined. The army of the syrian opposition, first called the free syrian army fsa, and also called the rebellion or the insurgents, has never succeeded in constituting a centralized and coordinated force. This organization remained as a reserve force until bashar alassads presidency, which saw efforts to demilitarize syrian society, including the ruling baath party. Dec, 20 the free syrian army fsa was formed in august 2011 by army deserters based in turkey, led by col riad alasaad. The free syrian army began with a core group of senior officers who defected from the syrian army and recruited thousands of soldiers and civilians.
A fighter from the free syrian army fired his weapon at the forces of syrias president bashar alassad in jobar, a suburb of damascus, syria, july 27, 2015. Pdf us vs free syrian army vs jabhat alnusra and isis. It initial fighting force were predominantly members of defected syrian armed forces personnel and volunteers. Jul 29, 2011 the free syrian army arabic language, aljaysh assuri al. Syria, code of conduct of the free syrian army how does. The free syrian army follows orders from turkey middle. The group was formed in 20 through a merger of about fifty damascusbased opposition groups and was initially led by former liwa alislam commander zahran alloush. The bab alsalameh border crossing under syrian rebel control. Formed in september 20, the group was active mainly in the city aleppo and its surroundings. A lack of unity has made cooperation and coordination difficult on the battlefield and has limited the effectiveness of rebel operations. Feb 10, 2018 the free syrian army is formed, backed by armed forces defectors. This pdf talks about deployment and the activities of the syrian army during this conflict.
Us vs free syrian army vs jabhat alnusra and isis new. To this end, the department of defense began supporting the kurdish democratic union party pyd and its armed wing, the. The free syrian army has an interest in amplifying its activities to encourage defections. It began suffering battlefield setbacks as early as 20, including some to islamist rebel groups in northern syria, notes al jazeera.
The supreme military command is currently the only organization that could serve to fill the security vacuum left by this transformation. This powerful exclusive is the first film to access the free syrian army s secret labyrinth of caves and also holds a rare interview with the fsa leader. The free syrian army began in order to fight against the assad regime and for democracy, but a lack of support has changed its direction. Currently, it is in its first phase, which includes about 10,000 troops primarily from the euphrates shield region. As the syrian uprising spread in 2011, neither aljaysh alshabi, nor other baath cadres. Around 30 subgroups of the free syrian army fsa have unified under the banner of the countrys national army, the syrian interim government announced on. April, 17, 2011 syrian protesters shouts slogans calling for president bashar assad to. Work through the syrian opposition coalitionand ideally a government established on syrian territoryto establish close working relationships with carefully vetted units of the free syrian army, providing those units with training, equipment, and other forms of support including training in transitional justice. Now some fsa fighters are backing turkeys incursion into. Syrian subgroups merge to form new national army under turkey. Free syrian army syrian liberation front syrian islamic front independent brigade alliances approximately 9 brigade alliances jabhat alnusra independent battalions.
Jaysh alislam the islam army, the islam brigade is a syrian opposition group that aims to depose the assad regime. Damascus in the free syrian army s most highprofile attack since protests began. Sep 18, 2018 by july 2011, syrian rebels formed the free syrian army fsa, and a civil war was imminent. The national council seeks the end of bashar alassads rule and the establishment of a modern, civil, democratic state. Defectors formed the free syrian army as the armed wing of the uprising, and engaged in combat with security forces and soldiers around syria. Today it is composed of different groups and local brigades, originally formed by civilians who took up arms. Bashar al assad baath party supportersiran russia chinadiplomatic mostly 2. Syrian government forces have taken control of villages in southern syria, state media said. Free syrian army wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Jun 29, 2016 absolutely theyre identical twins and work hand in hand to achieve the same goal. There were other large fsa units in the idlib and aleppo regions e. It is an umbrella group comprising small, ideologically moderate, and uncoordinated militias and battalions. The free syrian army media reporting has consistently focused on the free syrian army fsa, but the fsa has always been more of a brand name than an actual organization.
Usman, who is a member of the syrian oppositions high negotiations committee delegation to the geneva talks, claimed that the new operation between the. The structure and organization of the syrian opposition center for. May 14, 20 the free syrian army, or fsa, is the largest group within the syrian armed opposition. March 20 elizabeth obagy middle east security report. The free syrian army fsa is a loose faction in the syrian civil war founded on 29 july 2011. Free syrian army fsa friends of syria supporterswestern nations gulf statessaudi arabia,qatar jordan turkey. Although numerous armed factions that were active across syria soon.
After his neighbor was killed by his side while protesting in. By december 2011, the fsa estimated it had attracted 15,000 to. The free syrian army is an army formed in 2011 to oppose the syrian government during the civil war. Yet after the islamic state is captured mosul and beheaded u. Throughout the syrian civil war, the free syrian army fsa has been the armed opposition group mostly aligned with and most dependent on turkey. The term was first used by the turkeybased military defector colonel riad alasaad, who in late july 2011 issued a statement proclaiming himself supreme commander of a rebel. Military council of the free syrian army would be founded, which took place on. Division, fursan alhaq and others who formed the 5th brigade coalition and countless smaller units. Dec 20, 2017 state of the free syrian army at the outset of 2015. The turkishbacked free syrian army tfsas first known engagement was a joint operation with the turkish armed forces. Composed of defected syrian armed forces personnel and volunteers, its formation was announced on 29 july 2011 in a video released on the internet by a uniformed group of deserters from the. The formation of the syrian national army was officially announced on 30 december 2017 in azaz. Absolutely theyre identical twins and work hand in hand to achieve the same goal.
The free syrian army fsa is an armed opposition organization. Please save or open images in a new tab to see full details. At the time of its formation in latejuly 2011, its founding leader colonel riyad alasad described. A rebel fighter of the southern front of the free syrian army gestures while standing with his fellow fighter near their weapons at the front line in the northwest countryside of deraa march 3, 2015.
The following months saw increasing defections of syrian army officers, which eventually led to the establishment of the free syrian army fsa, under the command of defected col. Continuing pressure from syrian nationalist groups forced the french to evacuate their troops in april 1946, leaving the country in the hands of a republican government that had been formed during the mandate. The nonstate militant landscape in syria combating. A free syrian army fighter carries his weapon as he smokes a cigarette near the frontline of otaiba, in alghouta region in the eastern rural suburbs of damascus, august 15, 20. The formation of the free syrian army fsa was announced on 29 july 2011 by a group of defecting syrian army officers, encouraging others to defect in order to defend civilian protesters from violence by the state and effect government change. Ultimately, even if the smc only serves as a mechanism for greater cooperation and coordination, it is a significant development in that it has united the efforts of rebel commanders across syria. Initially established with the grand objective of representing a nationwide resistance organization. Contents syrian arab republic princeton university. Formed in doha in 2012, the syrian national coalition provides support to the. Arabi assuri, is the land force branch of the syrian armed forces. In july, defectors from the syrian military formed the free syrian army fsa in a refugee camp in turkey. Some of these defectors had formed the free syrian army, engaging in combat with security forces and soldiers in what would turn into the syrian civil war. The free syrian army, a rebel umbrella group formed by defectors from the syrian army in july, claimed leadership over the armed opposition fighting in syria, but its authority was largely unrecognized by the local militias. Proregime paramilitary groups nov 7th carter center.
1427 188 84 992 330 778 140 1538 512 987 775 86 56 148 768 808 353 755 673 598 1020 1138 345 472 1356 956 1040 1113 1479 838 1299 1071 1103 1322 740 1150 314 583 545 842 1167 1462 890 738 1117 716 982 163