John cantlie photographs the rebels of the free syrian army in. Mar 20, 2018 burning down civilian with napalm, poisoning them chlorine and sarin gases. Nov 26, 2016 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. Turkish deputy pm calls decision to free muslim, despite ankaras extradition request, a move in support of terror. 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. Oct 01, 2015 the free syrian army, which at one point was the main fighting force against assads regime, is a collection of smaller government opposition groups which were brought together at the beginning.
A member of the free syrian army stands guard at a checkpoint after. It initial fighting force were predominantly members of defected syrian armed forces personnel and volunteers. List of military equipment used by syrian opposition forces. Version of the old pre1958 and 19611963 flag of syria observed to be used by protesters in 20112012. Cia freezes aid to free syrian army sputnik international. Browse the independents complete collection of articles and commentary on free syrian army. September 2012 elizabeth obagy middle east security. Russias policy on syria after the start of military engagement. The free syrian army fsa is an armed opposition organization. This may not seem likely now, but could come to pass in the future due to careful political wrangling on the part of the current syrian government.
The free syrian army institute for the study of war. The turkishbacked free syrian army tfsas first known engagement was a joint operation with the turkish armed forces. Apr 11, 2012 john cantlie photographs the rebels of the free syrian army in and around aleppo during the government advance in the area. 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 saturday. Moscow views the syrian armed forces as the most if not only functional and. Initially established with the grand objective of representing a nationwide resistance organization. Most opposition forces isis notably excluded fall under the umbrella of the free syrian army, some 200,000 strong and largely in. October 27, 2011 turkeys support of the free syrian army, an armed opposition group, comes amid a broader turkish campaign to undermine president bashar alassads government in syria. Antakya, turkey sputnik a double car bomb explosion in the syrian northern city of afrin on wednesday claimed lives of eleven people and left 15 others wounded, a source in the opposition free syrian army fsa, which controls the area, told sputnik. Turkey shelters antiassad group, the free syrian army the.
The syrian governments brutal tactics cannot justify abuses by armed opposition groups, said sarah leah whitson, middle east director at human rights watch. Mar 20, 2012 the syrian governments brutal tactics cannot justify abuses by armed opposition groups, said sarah leah whitson, middle east director at human rights watch. 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 on the local level engages and ambushes the states shabiha militia and confronts the army during which it encourages defections. Oct 28, 2011 october 27, 2011 turkeys support of the free syrian army, an armed opposition group, comes amid a broader turkish campaign to undermine president bashar alassads government in syria. Relations with the islamic world analysis paper no. Syrian army colonel defects, forms free syrian army, asharq al. I served 14 years in the syrian military for assad, and at first i had a misconception about the free syrian army, yasser hader said in albab in august of that year, when he was being held. The free syrian army fsa was formed in august 2011 by army deserters based in turkey, led by col riad alasaad.
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. Although numerous armed factions that were active across syria soon adopted the name free syrian army, there was no unified organization. This cannot possibly be the case, but they may have as many as 20,000. As syrian president bashar al assads hold on western parts of. The free syrian army follows orders from turkey middle. Emre peker and donna abunasr, syrian armed forces desertion said to surge to 60,000, bloomberg, march 15, 2012. Advice about possible loss of us citizenship and foreign military service. The structure and organization of the syrian opposition center for. That document covers the enlistment of us citizens in a foreign nations army, rather than a resistance group. Initially established with the grand objective of representing. Its banner was soon adopted by armed groups that began appearing across the. Following comments from syrias alqaeda affiliate that the free syrian army does not exist, a campaign was launched by syrian activists to highlight the widereach the moderate rebel group has inside the country. Free syrian army, turkish military likely planning a new.
The name free syrian army or fsa is often tossed about as a group of moderates or seculars the us should support in trying to overthrow assad. Large equipment like tanks and vehicles are generally captured from syrian army supplies, but small arms are likely a mixture of captured syrian army weapons, weapons imported by foreign combatants joining the opposition forces, or other sources. 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. The group was founded by colonel riad alasad, a former syrian air force officer who defected in july 2011. After this, they expanded northeast, meeting with units of the syrian democratic forces north of manbij. Free syrian army the independent us latest news and. Continuing violence in northern syria between government forces and rebels is putting plans for a unbrokered ceasefire in jeopardy. Its banner was soon adopted by armed groups that began appearing across the country.
The free syrian army fsa has evolved significantly since its emergence in the summer of 2011. Dec 31, 2017 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 saturday. A decentralized brookings institution nov 23, 2016. Its baseless to say the fsa is a group of defected syrian troops, thats only for western masses to buy. Syria is no longer sliding into war or staring at the abyss of warfare. April, 17, 2011 syrian protesters shouts slogans calling for president bashar assad to. Jan 29, 2016 whenever we, the free syrian army, make advances against the regime, isis steps in fri 29 jan 2016 08. A formal organization at its founding, its structure gradually dissipated by late 2012, and the fsa.
Although numerous armed factions that were active across syria soon adopted the name free syrian army, there was no. Numbering about 50,000 people by one 20 estimate, it is a hybrid of former. If we ever use them, we will only hit the regimes bases and centers, the political adviser of the free syrian army fsa, bassam aldada, was quoted by turkey. How the free syrian army became a largely criminal enterprise. 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 follows orders from turkey middle east. Jan 02, 20 a prominent member of the free syrian army claims the rebels have all the components to produce chemical weapons and have the knowhow to put them together and use if necessary. It began suffering battlefield setbacks as early as 20, including some to islamist rebel groups in. There are claims that the fsa has up to 50,000 fighters. September 2012 elizabeth obagy middle east security report 6. Syrian armed opposition in the fight against jihadists and 2 the launching of a proper russian humanitarian operation. In the first day, they took control of jarabulus from isil. Isis commanders join free syrian army middle east israel. Although peaceful protesters still take to the streets by the thousands, the phenomenon that is the free syrian army fsa is, short of a palace coup, becoming the main actor in a revolution that is growing nastier by the day.
Free syrian army subgroups unite to form national army. A member of the free syrian army stands guard at a checkpoint after clashes with progovernment forces in salqin city in idlib, october 2012. Jihad in syria by elizabeth obagy middle east security report 6 since the beginning of the syrian uprising, president bashar alassad and other regime officials. Russias policy on syria after the start of military. Free syrian army in aleppo in pictures world news the. The opposition movement in syria has been fragmented from its inception, a direct reflection of syrias social complexity and the decentralized grassroots origin of the uprising. National coalition of syrian revolution and opposition forces, also known as the. It began suffering battlefield setbacks as early as 20, including some to islamist rebel groups in northern syria, notes al jazeera. Faces of the free syrian army war is boring medium. The free syrian army, a group of mostly former syrian military soldiers fighting against the authoritarian regime of syrian president. Oct 05, 2012 a possibly more serious risk is that the free syrian army could somehow find itself declared a foreign terrorist organization. Turkey shelters antiassad group, the free syrian army.
Initially, the fsa was formed to defend civilians in locations where protests. The syrian opposition is often referred to as the free syrian army, but the fsa doesnt exist as a single cohesive force, as the carter center pointed out in a. Usman, who is a member of the syrian oppositions high negotiations committee delegation to the geneva talks, claimed that the new operation between the. Syria, code of conduct of the free syrian army how does law. This study examines the most prominent formations of the. Dec, 20 the free syrian army fsa was formed in august 2011 by army deserters based in turkey, led by col riad alasaad.
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. Killing them with white phosphorus bombs, burning dowin entire cities is what all has happend till now. These include funding by private donors notably from the gulf region and equipment supplied by friendly nations. The linked data service provides access to commonly found standards and vocabularies promulgated by the library of congress.
The free syrian army welcomes any hand extended to help bring the syrian people closer to gaining their freedom, without being deflected from its goals or the fundamental principles of the revolution. The free syrian army is an army formed in 2011 to oppose the syrian government during the civil war. In the summer of 2012, the leading commanders of the free syrian army fsa were confident that momentum was with them. The supreme military command improves upon previous attempts at armed opposition unification through higher integration of disparate rebel. Two isis commanders on friday joined forces with the free syrian army stationed on the border between syrias homs and deir ezzor provinces.
As syrian president bashar al assads hold on western parts of syria solidifies, the cia is lessening its support of the free syrian army fsa. The adviser stressed that the syrian opposition would only use chemical weapons if the ruling regime did so first. Datasets available include lcsh, bibframe, lc name authorities, lc classification, marc codes, premis vocabularies, iso language codes, and more. This includes data values and the controlled vocabularies that house them. Jabhat alnusra fighters with croatian weapons 23 8. As of early 2017 there were some 15,00 fighters loyal to the fsa, according to estimates. Free syrian army claims chemical weapons capability rt.
Sep 17, 20 the free syrian army claims to have units loosely under its command all across syria, painting its fighters as military defectors and armed protesters merely seeking a democratic future. Absolutely theyre identical twins and work hand in hand to achieve the same goal. No military assistance will be delivered to the fsa by the cia until matters are organized, a source on the ground in syria told reuters. Assad forces execute free syrian army founder, report, ya libnan, january 30, 2012. March 20 elizabeth obagy middle east security report. Jun 29, 2016 absolutely theyre identical twins and work hand in hand to achieve the same goal. The opposition is also subdivided into moderates, islamists and jihadists, which is the minimum required to understand the many groups within it. Four years later, the free syrian army has collapsed. The free syrian army fsa and its supporters have produced a stream. By december 2011, the fsa estimated it had attracted 15,000 to 25,000 defectors from the armed forces. Free syrian army, the syrian liberation front, the syrian islamic front. Jul 20, 2012 defected soldiers formed free syrian army antigovernment forces in syria known as the free syrian army have gained ground against the regime of president bashar assad. The free syrian army claims to have units loosely under its command all across syria, painting its fighters as military defectors and armed protesters merely seeking a democratic future. The free syrian army fsa is an armed opposition organization conducting operations in syria against bashar alasads baathist regime.
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