Authenticity and Development Front

The Authenticity and Development Front (Arabic: جبهة الأصالة والتنمية, romanized: Jabhat al-'asalah wa'l-tanmiyah) is an alliance of rebel groups that is active during the Syrian Civil War. The alliance is considered to be moderate by Charles Lister (from Middle East Institute)^[18] and the BBC.^[19]

Authenticity and Development Front جبهة الأصالة والتنمية[1] Jabhat al-'asalah wa'l-tanmiyah
Leaders	Khalid al-Hamad [1]
Dates of operation	November 2012 – present[2]
Group(s)	Unification Army[3] Lions of the East Army (Former)[4] The White Shroud
Active regions	Aleppo Governorate Hama Governorate[5]
Ideology	Islamism[6][7]
Size	5,000 (2015)[7]
Part of	Levant Front (2014[8]–15[9]) Mujahideen Shura Council (2014–2015) Free Syrian Army (from 2016)[10][11] Syrian National Army[12][13] Hawar Kilis Operations Room (from 2017)
Allies	Saudi Arabia[14]  Turkey Tahrir al-Sham Jaysh al-Islam Ahrar al-Sham Saraya Ahl al-Sham
Opponents	Syrian Arab Armed Forces  Iran  Russia Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant[15] Hezbollah PFLP-GC Syrian Democratic Forces
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign Rif Dimashq offensive (August–November 2014)[16] Eastern Qalamoun offensive (September–October 2016) Deir ez-Zor clashes (2011–14) Battle of Aleppo (2012-2016) Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016) Siege of Northern Homs Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War 2017 Hama offensive Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War Operation Euphrates Shield Turkish military operation in Afrin[17] Northwestern Syria offensive (April-August 2019)

Background

The coalition includes Islamists, military defectors, and former civilians.^[6][8][20] Although the alliance uses Syrian independence flags and symbols, it does not identify itself as part of the Free Syrian Army.^[21] One of the groups involved was the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, which was also part of the Army of Mujahideen,^[6] though the Army of Mujahideen announced on 4 May 2014 that the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement had withdrawn from the coalition.^[22] The Authenticity and Development Front operated American-made BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles captured from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.^[23]

Member Groups

Current

• The White Shroud
• Army of Tawhid^[24]
  • Tajamuu Alwiyat al-Iman Billah
  • Liwa Hamah al-Aqidah
  • Tajamuu Jund al-Badr Brigade 313
  • Lions of Islam Brigade
  • Talbisah Brigade
  • Falcons of Talbisah Brigade
  • Muawiyah Ibn Abi Sufyan Brigade
  • Sword of Islam Battalion
  • Tajamuu Alwiyat wa Kataib Suyuf al-Haq
• Battalions of the People of Impact^[25]
• Abd Al-Rahman Battalions^[26]
• Miqdad Bin al-Aswad Battalion^[27]
• Division 60
• Jund al-Sham^[28]

Former Groups

• Lions of the East Army
  • Liwa Basha’ir al-Nasr^[29]
• Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement
• Liwa al-Fatah al-Mubin (Formerly part of the Allahu Akbar Battalions)^[30]
• Ibn Taymiyyah Mujahideen Brigades (Joined Ahrar al-Sham)^[31]
• New Syrian Army (Expelled from Authenticity and Development Front, continued operations as independent group)
  • Allahu Akbar Battalions^[32]

See also

• List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War