After several years of fighting “alone” for Syrian revolutionary groups resorted to the model of “operational headquarters”. This form of military coordination involves the combining of multiple groups that agree on the specific objectives, funding and operational activities. This method was the result of the expansion of the zone of battles and a kind of “farming” areas of control groups, as well as the lack of ability of one group to resist the forces of the Syrian regime. We present an overview of major operating headquarters, formed the revolutionary groups in Syria. We follow their successes, we will present included in the operational headquarters of the group, their achievements, the reasons to continue their activity or the collapse of our staff.
The operational headquarters of “Jaish al-Fath”
1. The Foundation and coalition groups
The operational headquarters was formed in March of 2015. It included groups like “Ahrar al-sham”, “Dzhabhat EN Nusra” (in the past), “Faylaq al-sham”, “Jund al-AKS”and “Liwa al-Haqq”, “ajnad Facebook page al-sham”, “Jaish al-Sunnah”. After some time they were joined by the Turkestan party, “Sukur al-sham” (after her release from the Ahrar al-sham and to return back to the bosom of the same organization) and the movement “of Nur ad-DIN AZ-Zenk” (before it enters the structure formation of the “Tahrir al-sham”).
2. Achievements
Groups “Jaish al-Fatah” failed to establish control over the city of Idlib after more than a three-day battle. In addition, it was also a strategic military camp, “al-Maktuma” and a military camp, “al-Karmic” (one of the last great camps, prinadlejala the forces of the Syrian regime in the North of Idlib), city of Erich, Jabal al-Arbain (the mountain), areas of Muhamale, Bankul and the road Latakia—Idlib. All this is part of an ongoing series of battles to force Assad’s forces to withdraw from positions they occupied in the province of Idlib.
The operational headquarters of “Jaish al-Fatah” also recorded in the list of his victories stop the advance of militias supported by Iran (the Iraqi “al-Hashd al-SHAABI”, the Iranian Islamic revolutionary guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah), South of Idlib province. Groups of operational staff has brought a number of villages and hills, among which the most important hill of al-IMS.
Group “Jaish al-Fatah” in coordination with the operational headquarters of “Fath Halab” broke the siege of Aleppo, which was established after the loss of road Costello. They managed to do it after establishing control over the military colleges in the South-West of Aleppo in early August 2016 operations center continued to defend the road over a month before it was sealed off by the Syrian regime and supporting the police.
3. The reasons for the collapse of the operational headquarters
The operational headquarters has not continued its work after the second attempt to break the blockade of Aleppo in early November 2016, the Contradictions between the two poles (“Jabhat Fatah al-sham” or the former “al-Nusra” and “Ahrar al-sham”), then the formation of the organization “Tahrir al-sham” and the inclusion of a number of groups of operational staff are the two main reasons that the activities of operational staff, was not renewed. Thus, the curtain was lowered. Operational headquarters ceased operations after his work for about nine months.
The operational headquarters of “Fath Halab”
1. The Foundation and coalition groups
An operational headquarters was established in April 2015 immediately after the capture of the operational headquarters of “Jaish al-Fath,” the city of Idlib and its surrounding parts. The management made the commander of Faylaq al-sham Yasir Abdurahim. The center included “Faylaq al-sham, al-Jabha al-Shamiya”, “Ahrar al-sham”, “Jaish al-Mujahideen”, “Kataib Suvar al-sham”, “Jaish al-Islam”, “Association of Fastack Came Amirt”, “Fajr al-Khilafa”, “al-Fawj al-Awal” (first regiment — approx. TRANS.), “Kataib al-Safwa” Movement “of Nur ad-DIN AZ-Zenk”, “Liwa al-Fatah”, the 101st division, 13 division, Brigade, “Sultan Murad”, “Fursan al-Haqq”, “Sukur Liwa al-Jabal”, “Bayariq al-Islam”.
© AFP 2017, Omar haj kadourБоевик terrorist group “Jaish al-Fath,” in the suburbs of Aleppo, Syria
2. The most important achievements
Most important military achievements of the operational headquarters was to establish control over multiple buildings quarter AZ-Zahra West of Aleppo, the area of al-Rashidin and research center — also in the West of Aleppo. In partnership with the Jaish al-Fatah’s operational headquarters returned to some areas in the southern outskirts of Aleppo. They were able to protect the road, known in Aleppo as a way of Castello, for over a year and a half, as the camp Handarat which is considered the entrance to the Eastern districts of Aleppo.
3. The reasons for the collapse of the operational headquarters
Among the reasons for the collapse of the operational staff is considered the exit of civilians and the revolutionary groups from the Eastern regions of Aleppo to the end of 2016. In addition, started to struggle in the past, “Fatah al-sham” and the largest groups of operational staff who came from the Western neighborhoods of Aleppo (“Jaish al-Mujahideen, al-Jabha al-Shamiya”, “Union Fastack”, “al-Fawj al-Awal”). And dissolution of these groups in the Western suburbs led to the actual completion of activities of operational staff, despite the absence of any statement on its dissolution.
The operational headquarters of “al-Bunyan al-Marsus”
1. The Foundation and coalition groups
An operational headquarters was established in December 2015 in the city of Dar after another operational headquarters “southern storm” has failed to achieve its goals to establish control over the last area of the Syrian regime in the city. In the operational headquarters was attended by all factions of the southern front, a subordinate of the Syrian free army, the “Jaish al-Yarmouk”, “Ahrar al-sham”, “Hayat Tahrir al-sham”, “Jaish al-Islam”, the group “Beit al-makdis”, “Jund al-Malahim”, as well as local teams, which we are not naming because of their large number.
2. The most notable achievements
The main achievements can be considered the defense of the liberated areas of the city of Dar for over a year against the attacks of the forces of the Syrian regime, which aimed to open the way to the border with Jordan. Operational staff have managed in recent months to gradually establish control over the area of al-Dar Channel. This is one of the last areas that is under the authority of the regime in the town where the operational staff acted in accordance with the strategy of “gradual separation”. Thus, were able to establish control over 85% of the territory, which is considered an Outpost and a concentration of large forces of the Syrian regime and within which the extension of military control zones, with more than 700 blocks of buildings.
Operational headquarters continues to operate today and is moving to establish full control over al-Tunnel.
At the moment there is talk about the announcement in the near future about a single operational headquarters, which will include all factions of the Syrian free army in the North and center of Syria to coordinate military operations in a wide geographical area.
