After defeating the Assad regime in Jisr al Shughur, several jihadist groups have released videos showing their fighters and civilians walking and parading through the streets of the city. In many of these scenes, al Qaeda’s black flag can be seen flying in the center of town, as well as on many vehicles shown in the videos.
The Al Nusrah Front, al Qaeda’s official branch in Syria, and its allies captured Jisr al Shughur after three days of fighting. The city was one of the regime’s last remaining strongholds in Idlib province and its fall comes just weeks after jihadists took the city of Idlib. Al Nusrah declared victory in Jisr al Shughur yesterday and released many pictures from the city center. (For more, see LWJ report, Al Qaeda, jihadist allies declare victory over Syrian regime in key city.)
The groups that took part in this fighting are part of the “Battle of Victory” coalition. In addition to Nusrah, the coalition is made up of Ahrar al Sham, Ansar Sham, Jaish al Islam, the Jabhat Ansar al Din (which includes the Chechen Jaish al Muhajireen wal Ansar, the Moroccan Harakat Sham al Islam, and the native Syrian group Harakat Fajr al Sham al Islamiyya), Jamaat Ansar al Islam (the Syrian remnant faction of Ansar al Islam), the small Uzbek group Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad, the larger Uzbek group Imam Bukhari Jamaat, the Turkistan Islamic Party, Junud al Sham, and many others.
Several of these groups are within al Qaeda’s network, including Ahrar al Sham, Jabhat Ansar al Din, the two Uzbek groups, the Turkistan Islamic Party and Junud al Sham. Besides fighting in Jisr al Shughur, the “Battle of Victory” coalition is also fighting in Latakia, in the Al Ghab plains of Hama, and in other areas of Idlib.
Besides taking Jisr al Shughur, the coalition has made gains in the surrounding areas. Harakat Sham al Islam, as part of Jabhat Ansar al Din, has released a video showg its forces taking Al Ghani village in Latakia near Jisr al Shughur. The 1st Coastal Division of the Free Syrian Army, which is also in the coalition, has posted many videos of its spoils after overrunning regime positions in the Al Ghab plain in Hama. Ahrar al Sham has also released footage of its gains in the Al Ghab plain.
Videos released by jihadist groups showing celebrations in Jisr al Shughur:
Warning: Some scenes may be graphic
Al Nusrah Front:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z93HX5HZaSI&feature=youtu.be
Junud al Sham:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYGTm8qFlg
Ahrar al Sham:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp86k0nqDOM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZ13kDOHD7w
Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdTuLxQrpio
Imam Bukhari Jamaat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PDybAvJeF4
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3 Comments
From what i can tell, the two tanks in the Katibat al Tawhid wal Jihad video appear to be
T-55MV models that had been upgraded by Ukraine. They have reactive armour blocks and laser sighting. They’re marketed as being capable of surviving direct frontal hits from 120mm depleted uranium rounds and are among the best tanks in the Syrian inventory.
I didn’t know Waldo had converted …
in the Junud al Sham at 1:06 , then at 6:18 to 7:30 is that abu al shishani, i thought he was part of the islamic state…what is going on… do abu al baghdadi know about this…i thought IS got along with nobody….give me an answer.