Al-Mu'tasim Brigade
| Al-Mu'tasim Brigade | |
|---|---|
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لواء المعتصم Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
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 Flag of the Moutasem Brigade | |
| Active | 4 August 2015—present |
| Leaders |
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| Headquarters | Mare' |
| Area of operations | Aleppo Governorate, Syria |
| Strength | 500[2] |
| Part of | |
| Allies | |
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | |
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The al-Mu'tasim Brigade ((Arabic: لواء المعتصم, Liwa' muetasim) is a Free Syrian Army faction active in the northern Aleppo Governorate, based in the town of Mare'. The group is named after al-Mu'tasim, an Abbasid caliph.
Equipment
The Mu'tasim Brigade is known for possessing a large amount of US-supplied weapons from the Syrian Train and Equip program, including M16 rifles, M249 light machine guns, M240 machine guns, Soltam K6, M224 mortars, M252 mortars, M2 Browning, and technicals. This led to reports being made that this group is supplied by the United States. The group did not receive anti-tank missiles from the US.[4]
Ideology
The Mu'tasim Brigade supports the political Syrian peace process. However, it opposes the U.S.–Russia peace proposals on Syria.[2] The commander of the group has called for "freedom and justice", which led to tensions between him and the al-Nusra Front, seeing him as a threat to al-Nusra's caliphate project.[5]
History
The group's commander, Lieutenant colonel Mohammad Hassan Khalil, was originally a rebel commander in Jabal al-Akrad, Latakia Governorate. However, in 2015 he was forced out of Latakia by the al-Nusra Front after tensions between the two groups. His group then moved to Aleppo.[5]
In April 2016 the group participated in the Northern Aleppo offensive (March-April 2016), along with the Sham Legion and the Sultan Murad Division, driving vehicles from Doudiyan toward ISIL positions in al-Rai and capturing 8 villages in the way.[1]
In June the group formed an alliance with Liwa Ahfad Saladin and 6 other rebel groups in Mare' after breaking an ISIL siege on the town. The new coalition claims to have 1,500 fighters under a unified military command and established contact with the rival Syrian Democratic Forces.[3] Later that month, Mohammad Hassan Khalil was kidnapped in Mare'. The Moutasem Brigade accused Major General Dara Aza, former commander of rebels in Mare', and al-Nusra Front of carrying out the abduction.[2]
In August and September the Moutasem Brigade participated in the Turkish military intervention in Syria which captured Jarabulus and al-Rai.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 "Syria rebels near ISIS stronghold in N. Aleppo". Now. 4 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Brigade Mutassim .. sons of the Syrian revolution who went out in the face of the lion and Daesh". RFS Media Office. 16 September 2016.
- 1 2 "'Not just talk': New north Aleppo rebel alliance breaks Islamic State blockade". Syria:direct. 9 June 2016.
- 1 2 "Al-Moutasem Brigade: An American Backed FSA Group in Northern Aleppo". The OSINT Blog. 1 April 2016.
- 1 2 "The kidnapping of the commander of "Brigade Mu'tasim" while on his way to fight in Syria Mare`". Rudaw. 8 June 2016.