Anti-Government Groups in Syria: Interview with 'Quwat Saraya al-Areen'

Among various self-declared groups that have emerged since the fall of the Assad regime and proclaim themselves in opposition to the new government in Syria, Quwat Saraya al-Areen (“Forces of the Brigades of the Den”) is notable for its declared link with the “Islamic Resistance Front in Syria- Awali al-Ba’s,” which styles itself as ‘Islamic Resistance’ within post-Assad Syria and uses similar imagery to that of Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, as seen below.

Although many of the activities claimed in the name of this group are questionable, the brand clearly does have some supporters inside Syria, who have recently photographed paper placards in various parts of the country (example below from Latakia). This should not be surprising. There are clearly some individuals inside Syria who still cling to the notion of the ‘resistance axis,’ whether or not they receive material support from Iran and Hezbolla.

But if the ‘Islamic Resistance Front in Syria- Awali al-Ba’s’ has a real organisational presence, it appears to have split into two factions following the announced death of its leader ‘Ridha Abu Jihad’ this month. One faction controls the group’s original media channels and proclaims its new leader to be ‘Abu Mujahid’ , while another faction operates a smaller channel in the name of the same group, claiming that the original channels have been taken over by hostile entities. The smaller channel has also published statements in the name of the ‘Military Council of the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria- Awali al-Ba’s’. It is the latter faction to which ‘Quwat Saraya al-Areen’ belongs.

Below is an interview recently conducted with ‘Colonel Hashim Abu Shu‘ayb,’ the leader of ‘Quwat Saraya al-Areen.’