National Liberation Front
On the 28th of May 2018 in Idlib and its surroundings, 11 opposition groups announced a merger into the “National Liberation Front”.
Their area of operations is mainly in Idlib and its surroundings. Some of the opposition groups that had participated in Operation Euphrates Shield and Operation Olive Branch, like Faylaq al Sham, Jaish al Nasr and the 23rd Division are part of the merger.
The 11 opposition groups taking part in the merger: Faylaq al Sham, Jaish al Nasr, Jaish Idlib Hur, 1st Coastal Division, 2nd Coastal Division, Fawj al Awwal, Jaish al Sani, Jaish al Nukba, Suheda al Islam Darayya, Firqa al Hurriyah and the 23rd Division.
Jaish Idlib Hur emerged as a merger between the 3rd Division, Shuqour al Jabal and the Shimalliyah Division (all FSA groups) on the 22nd of September 2016. The National Liberation Front’s core is made up of Faylaq al Sham, Jaish al Nasr and the Free Idlib Army. This has also extended to the leadership cadres.
The National Liberation Front’s leader is one of the commanders of Faylaq al Sham, Fadil El Hajji. His deputies and military leaders are Jaish al Nasr’s Suhayb Leyyush and Muhammad Mansur.
According to the National Liberation Front’s statements to media sources, the military capacity of the newly formed coalition is approximately 20.000 fighters.
The National Liberation Front announced on social media that “The new coalition aims at unifying the FSA groups in Syria’s Idlib under a single umbrella”.
While important rebel groups like Jaish al Izzah, Jaish al Ahrar and Suqour al Sham were said to be joining the National Liberation Front, the fact that they did not drew attention.
