Latest Blog Posts

Jacob Zenn Replies To His Critics

June 22, 2018 at 8:49 pm

[Publisher's note: In debates surrounding the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram, a group of academics called into question Jacob Zenn's credibility. Such charges are serious and Jacob Zenn has the right to defend himself and reply. I have given him the space to publish his detailed response to the critics. Please note that guest posts on my site are generally welcome. Feel free to contact me if you wish to publish something on my site- Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi].

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Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed Recruitment Form: Translation and Analysis

June 22, 2018 at 5:16 pm

With the Syrian government set to commence a military campaign in the south of the country, it is not implausible to envision a scenario where the final confrontation in the south is between the government and the Islamic State-affiliate Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed (JKBW). After all, JKBW's territory is blocked from the frontlines with the government-held areas by rebel-held zones, which are at war with JKBW.

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Fawj al-Sayyida Zainab: Aleppo Local Defence Forces Unit

June 19, 2018 at 12:19 pm

The Aleppo sector of the Iranian-backed Local Defence Forces (LDF) consists of some well-known groups like Liwa al-Baqir. There are also some more obscure groups within the sector like Fawj al-Sayyida Zainab (The Sayyida Zainab Regiment).

According to the group itself, Fawj al-Sayyida Zainab was founded in 2013 by Fadi al-Dahduh, who was himself killed in al-Eis in south Aleppo countryside on 16 November 2015. Following his death, a certain al-Hajj Mahdi took over the leadership of the group.

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Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed "Public Relations" Document: Translation and Analysis

June 18, 2018 at 9:05 am

It is routine for us to say that Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed is an Islamic State affiliate in everything but name: that is, no formal announcement has been made in the media items for external consumption that Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed is part of the Islamic State. Internal documents, however, appear to show that the Islamic State label is being increasingly used anyway. For instance, one should note a Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed military ID card found earlier this year and the ruling on the internal arrests and executions surrounding the death of Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed's first amir Abu Hashim al-Idlibi.

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The Life of Abu Waheed al-Heetawi of Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed

June 17, 2018 at 10:52 am

The locality of Heet (also transliterated as Hayt) in southwest Deraa province arguably encapsulates the civil war aspect of the fighting between Islamic State-affiliate Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed and Syrian rebel groups. Heet presently has a population of around 6000 people. The main families in Heet are:

- Bakariya
- al-Masri
- al-'Aqra'
- al-'Aishat
- al-Jaghini

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