Jaysh al-Sunna
جيش السنة
LeadersAmmar Bouqai[1]
Dates of operation20 March 2015 – 28 January 2017[1]
Active regionsHoms Governorate
Idlib Governorate[1]
Aleppo Governorate
IdeologySunni Islamism
Size500+ fighters[1]
Part ofArmy of Conquest[1]
Fatah Halab[2]
Allies Islamic Front
al-Nusra Front
Jund al-Aqsa
Opponents Syria
 Iran
 Russia
Hezbollah
SSNP
Syrian Democratic Forces
Liwa Zainebiyoun
Liwa Fatemiyoun
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War

Jaysh al-Sunna (Arabic: جيش السنة) was a Homs-based Islamist rebel group that was established as a merger between different rebel groups, some of which originally came from the Free Syrian Army's Farouq Brigades, and is active during the Syrian Civil War. It joined the Army of Conquest on 24 March 2015, and took part in the Second Battle of Idlib. It lost 14 fighters in the battle.[1]

Alleged bombing by the U.S.-led coalition

On 11 August 2015, an ammunition depot and base belonging to the group were allegedly bombed by the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition in the Atme area in the northern Idlib Governorate. Ten of the group's fighters were killed along with 8 civilians. Robert Ford, the former U.S. ambassador to Syria, expressed consternation at why an airstrike was conducted on Jaysh al-Sunna.[4]

Reported use of child soldiers

See also: Human rights violations during the Syrian Civil War § Free Syrian Army and other armed opposition fighters

In October 2016, it was reported that Jaysh al-Sunna released a video which featured child soldiers at an unidentified training camp.[5] A Saudi cleric named Abdullah al-Muhesini was linked to the child soldier recruitment in northern Aleppo, and has allegedly recruited up to 1,000 children in all of Syria by paying them a $100 monthly salary.[6]

Notable former member groups

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Homs tribute to the Idlib liberation battle". Facebook. 29 March 2015. Retrieved 31 March 2015.
  2. ^ pbs.twimg.com https://web.archive.org/web/20150619042817/https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CHz9sulUkAAj9pT.png%3Alarge. Archived from the original on 2015-06-19. ((cite web)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ "Al Qaeda and allies form coalition to battle Syrian regime in Idlib". Long War Journal. 24 March 2015.
  4. ^ Weiss, Michael. "Did the U.S. Just Kill 5 Kids in Syria?". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  5. ^ Chris Tomson (2 October 2016). "VIDEO: Syrian rebels recruit child soldiers to boost manpower". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  6. ^ Zen Adra (11 September 2016). "Syrian children soldiers paid $100 monthly salary to fight Syrian Army". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 13 May 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
  7. ^ "Jaysh al-Sunna hold Democratic Union the responsibility for the actions of "Battalion 13" and clear its responsibility regarding shelling Afrin". SOHR. 12 May 2016.[permanent dead link]

External links


Syrian civil war
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