National Front for Liberation

The National Front for Liberation (Arabic: جبهة الوطنية للتحرير‎, Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrir) is a Syrian rebel coalition that is part of the Syrian National Army (SNA) fighting in the Syrian Civil War. The group was formed by 11 rebel factions in northwestern Syria in May 2018,[8] and was officially announced on 28 May 2018. The formation receives major support from Turkey.[5] The group joined the SNA on 4 October 2019.[4] Neither the NFL nor SNA fighters had been informed of the merger, which was announced at a press conference in Urfa, southern Turkey.[9]

Not to be confused with National Front for the Liberation of Syria or National Liberation Front.

National Front for Liberation
جبهة الوطنية للتحرير Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrir Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Flag of the National Front for Liberation Logo of the National Front for Liberation
Active	28 May 2018 – present
Allegiance	Syrian Interim Government
Leaders	Since August 2018: Ahmad Sarhan ("Abu Satif") (first deputy and Suqour al-Sham Brigades)[1] Walid al-Mushayil ("Abu Hashim") (second deputy and Jaysh al-Ahrar)[1] Anad al-Darwish ("Abu al-Munathir") (chief of staff and Ahrar al-Sham)[1] May–August 2018: Lt. Col. Suhaib Leoush (deputy commander and Free Idlib Army)[2] Maj. Muhammad Mansour (chief of staff and Army of Victory)[2] Former leaders Col. Fadlallah al-Haji (top commander and Sham Legion) 2018-2020
Area of operations	Northwestern Syria Idlib Governorate Hama Governorate Aleppo Governorate Latakia Governorate
Size	70,000 (claimed)[3]
Part of	Free Syrian Army Syrian National Army (since October 2019)[4]
Allies	Turkey[5] Army of Glory Tahrir al-Sham (sometimes)[6]
Opponent(s)	Syria  Russia  Iran Syrian Democratic Forces[7] Tahrir al-Sham (sometimes)
Battles and war(s)	Syrian Civil War Operation Olive Branch Afrin insurgency[7] 2018 Idlib crisis 5th Idlib inter-rebel conflict Northwestern Syria offensive (April 2019–present) Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020)
Website	https://twitter.com/alwataniatahrer

Commanders

From 28 May to 1 August 2018, Colonel Fadlallah al-Haji of the Sham Legion was the group's overall commander, Lieutenant Colonel Suhaib Leoush of the Free Idlib Army was its deputy commander, and Major Muhammad Mansour of the Army of Victory was its chief of staff.[2]

On 1 August, Ahmad Sarhan ("Abu Satif") of the Suqour al-Sham Brigades and Walid al-Mushayil ("Abu Hashim") of Jaysh al-Ahrar were named as the group's new first and second deputy commanders, respectively, while Walid al-Mushayil ("Abu Hashim") of Ahrar al-Sham was appointed chief of staff.[1]

History

On 4 June 2018, the Martyrs of Islam Brigade, part of the National Front for Liberation, joined the Sham Legion, also part of the NFL.

On 1 August, the Syrian Liberation Front, which was formed by Ahrar al-Sham and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement in February 2018, as well as Jaysh al-Ahrar and the Damascus Gathering joined the formation.[1]

On 5 August, the NFL arrested 45 people accused of attempting to reconcile with the Syrian government in al-Ghab Plain and Mount Shashabo in the western Hama countryside.[10] On 13 August, the crackdown campaign was expanded to Maarat al-Nu'man and Ariha.[11]

On 9 August, the NFL's Sham Legion launched an attack on a People's Protection Units (YPG) cell in the southeastern Afrin countryside, killing 4 YPG fighters and capturing small arms and ammunition.[7]

On 14 August, the group released a video showing the training of its self-proclaimed "Unit 82 SWAT Forces".[12] On the same day, a group of around 200 fighters formed the Free Hayan Brigade and joined the NFL in order to "unite factions", "fight forces of the Syrian regime", and avoid rebel infighting.[13] The next day, the Free North Brigade which operates around the same area also joined the NFL.[14] On 27 August, the Imam Ali Battalion joined the Free North Brigade.

On 26 March 2019, The National Front for Liberation released a statement declaring its rejection and condemnation of US President Donald Trump's decision to recognize the Golan Heights as part of Israel.

Since the Syrian military launched an offensive against rebel-held territory in northwestern Syria on 30 April 2019, the NFL closely cooperated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Army of Glory, and other rebel groups to counter the offensive.[6]

On 9 October 2019, 500 fighters from the Army of Glory, including its deputy commander-in-chief Capt. Manaf Maarati and spokesman Capt. Mustafa Maarati, reportedly defected to the NFL.[15]

On 15 March, Colonel Fadlallah al-Haji, the leader of the NFL, resigned from his position following Turkish orders. The move came after the discovery of a large-scale embezzlement scheme, involving the Sham Legion and other groups within the NFL misrepresenting the amount of fighters within its ranks to receive extra salaries from their Turkish allies.[16]

Member groups

• Sham Legion
  • Martyrs of Islam Brigade
  • Central Division
• Free Idlib Army
• 1st Coastal Division
• 2nd Army
• 2nd Coastal Division
• Elite Army
• 1st Infantry Division
• Army of Victory
• 23rd Division
• Islamic Freedom Brigade
• Syrian Liberation Front
  • Ahrar al-Sham
  • Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement
• Suqour al-Sham Brigades
• Jaysh al-Ahrar
• Damascus Gathering
  • Hamza ibn Abdul Muttalib Battalions[17]
  • Brigades and Battalions to Unite the Capital
  • Miqdad ibn Amr Brigade
• Unit 82 SWAT Forces[12]
• Free Hayan Brigade[13]
• Free North Brigade[14]

See also

• 5th Corps (Syrian rebel group)
• Syrian Revolutionary Command Council
• Syrian Islamic Liberation Front
• National Front for Liberation–Tahrir al-Sham conflict

References

1. "Meet the leading leaders of the "National Liberation Front"". Enab Baladi. 1 August 2018.
2. "11 FSA Factions in New Command in of "National Front Liberation"". Syria Call. 28 May 2018.
3. "المعارضة المعتدلة.. القوة الأساسية في إدلب | هيومن فويس | عين على الحقيقة". هيومن فويس | عين على الحقيقة (in Arabic). 11 September 2018.
4. "At the request of the Turkish Government, the National Liberation Front merges with the "National Army" in the form of 4 Corps of the "Ministry of Defense within the interim Syrian government"". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 4 October 2019.
5. "11 فصيلًا يشكلون "الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير" في إدلب". Enab Baladi. 29 May 2018.
6. Anchal Vohra (May 2019). "Turkey-backed fighters join forces with HTS rebels in Idlib". Al Jazeera English.
7. "Four dead for "units" Kurdish in Afrin region in confrontations with the "free"". SMART News Agency. 9 August 2018.
8. "Many factions in the province of Idlib are moving to merge under the name "National Liberation Front"". Syria Call. 11 May 2018.
9. Ragip Soylu, Harun al-Aswad (4 October 2019). "Syrian rebel groups merge as Turkish offensive looms". Middle East Eye.
10. ""National Liberation Front" begins a security campaign against "Orabi reconciliation"". Enab Baladi. 5 August 2018.
11. ""National Liberation Front" campaign against promoters of surrender to the Syrian regime expands to the cities of "Ma'arat al-Nu'man and Ariha". Syria Call. 13 August 2018.
12. @alwataniathrer (14 August 2018). "National Front for Liberation" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
13. "Dozens of fighters form the brigade of northern Aleppo and declare joining the "National Front"". SMART News Agency. 14 August 2018.
14. الشامية, محرر الدرر (15 August 2018). ""الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير" تتوسّع بانضمام فصيل عسكري جديد". الدرر الشامية (in Arabic).
15. "Including leaders in the first row .. Defected elements of the "Army of Glory"". Zaman al-Wasl. 10 October 2019.
16. "خاص| اختلاس بالملايين وقوائم وهمية.. حقائق تكشفها "ستيب" عن عزل قائد الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير". وكالة ستيب الإخبارية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2020-07-06.
17. "The assassination of a leader of Ahrar al-Sham north of Idlib, and the last escape of the west of Hama". STEP News Agency. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 14 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.