Ahl al-Sham

Not to be confused with Ahrar ash-Sham.

Ahl Al-Sham (Arabic: غرفة أهل الشام) was a joint command structure and umbrella organization of four main Syrian opposition factions operating in Aleppo, Syria. The factions are:

• Syria's largest rebel group, the Islamic Front
• the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front
• the foreign Russian-speaking jihadist group Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar
• and the anti-ISIL coalition, the Army of Mujahedeen.^[4]

Ahl Al-Sham
غرفة أهل الشام
The official logo of Ahl Al-Sham
Dates of operation	24 February 2014[1] – 6 February 2015[2]
Group(s)	Islamic Front al-Nusra Front Army of Mujahedeen Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar
Headquarters	Aleppo, Syria[3]
Active regions	Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Allies	Free Syrian Army Syria Revolutionaries Front[4] People's Protection Units[3] Jabhat al-Akrad
Opponents	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Army Syrian Air Force National Defence Force Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016)

The group has held talks with the People's Protection Units and Jabhat al-Akrad; they have agreed to a truce in order to focus on fighting the Assad government.^[5]

The groups involved in the structure are perceived differently by the United States; while Al-Nusra Front and Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar are designated as terrorist organizations by the United States.^[6][7] In contrast Islamic Front is considered by the United States as a "moderate" fighting force and the Army of Mujahedeen is being vetted by them to receive support.^[8][9]

In late October 2014, the al-Nusra Front began attacking cities held by the Free Syrian Army and other moderate Islamist groups, in an attempt to establish its own Islamic state with imposed Sharia rule.^[10]

In December 2014, the Levant Front coalition was established, possibly superseding Ahl al-Sham.^[11] It includes the Islamic Front and the Army of Mujahideen but excludes al-Nusra and Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar. The Aleppo Liberation operations room was established in February 2015; it includes Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar as part of the Jabhat Ansar al-Din.^[2]

Historic uses of this term

The name ahl al sham is also used in the context of an anti-umayyad opposition of early medieval arabic tribes in the year 750. This coalition later formed the fundament of power for the abbasid caliphate.^[12]

See also

• List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War
• Army of Conquest