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Islamist anti-Turkey groups in the Syrian civil war

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The Islamist anti-Turkey groups in the Syrian civil war were Islamist groups that fought in the Syrian civil war and opposed Turkey and its involvement in the war, as well as its allied groups. The disagreements between the Islamists about Turkey had also contributed to the inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian civil war.

Documented groups

Islamic State

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The Islamic State, since its foundation, was hostile to Turkey. Turkey designated the Islamic State a terrorist organization in 2014. The conflict between the Islamic State and Turkey persisted throughout the entirety of the Syrian civil war.^[1]

Al-Nusra Front

Al-Nusra Front opposed Turkey and various Turkish-backed groups. In December 2016, Al-Nusra Front raided houses throughout Idlib and captured 16 fighters from the Mountain Hawks Brigade of the Free Idlib Army. The FIA fighters were captured on charges of supporting the Turkish military intervention in Syria.^[2] In October 2014, Al-Nusra Front, alongside Jund al-Aqsa, clashed with the Syria Revolutionaries Front in Idlib, around the same time the Al-Nusra Front–SRF/Hazzm Movement conflict was going on in Aleppo.^[3] In January 2015, the conflict between Al-Nusra Front and Hazzm Movement spread from Aleppo to Idlib.^[4]

Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq

Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was founded in August 2020, by Islamists who were frustrated by how most Islamist rebel groups around Idlib were supported by Turkey. Many Islamists saw Turkish presence in northwest Syria as an infidel occupation of Muslim lands that was no different from the Russian and Iranian presence in Syria.^[5]^[6] While also fighting the Assad regime and HTS, Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq was also consistent in attacking Turkish soldiers and bases.^[7]^[8]

Jama’at Ansar al-Islam

Following the Turkish-Russian agreement to demilitarize Idlib in September 2018, Jama’at Ansar al-Islam joined Rouse the Believers Operations Room with other al-Qaeda-linked groups to oppose the demilitarization of northwestern Syria.^[9] After March 2019, Jama’at Ansar al-Islam began directly attacking Turkish military positions in northwestern Syria.^[10]

Jamaat Ansar al-Furqan in Bilad al-Sham

In the charter of Jama’at Ansar al-Furqan in Bilad al Sham, the group declared war on the government of Bashar al-Assad, Turkey, the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army, Russia, Shias and atheists.^[11]

Al-Rahman Legion

In 2020, Turkey cut off all support to Al-Rahman Legion after the group refused to obey Turkey’s order to send fighters into Libya. While a few militants of the group went on to fight in Libya, the commanders rejected the order and the group began opposing Turkey.^[12]

References

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[1]

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[2]

“EXCLUSIVE: Commander In Soqor Al-Jabal: Fatih Al-Sham Detained Our Soldiers For Joining Euphrates Shield”. Qasioun. 26 December 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 10 July 2017.
[3]

“Al Qaeda seizes territory from moderate Syrian group”. Reuters. 28 October 2014. Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
[4]

“Syria battle between Nusra and FSA spreads”. The Daily Star. 31 January 2015. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2016.
[5]

“Obscure Islamist Group Targets Turkish Military in Northwest Syria”. Voice of America. Retrieved 2024-05-18.
[6]

“من البداية إلى النهاية.. القصة الكاملة لـ سرية “أنصار أبي بكر الصديق”“. تلفزيون سوريا (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
[7]

Editör (2021-09-12). “Ensar Ebu Bekir es-Sıddık Seriyyesi: İdlib’de Türk Askerine Saldıran Örgüt”. Stratejik Ortak (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
[8]

مراد, مروان (2021-10-24). “ما هوية “السرية” التي نفذت 19 هجوماً ضد القوات التركية في إدلب؟”. السورية نت (in Arabic). Retrieved 2024-05-18.
[9]

Sirwan Kajjo (15 June 2020). “Jihadists in Syria’s Idlib Form New ‘Operations Room’“. Voice of America. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
[10]

“Attack on Turkish soldiers spotlights Ankara’s Idlib conundrum”. FDD’s Long War Journal. 31 March 2020. Retrieved 7 February 2025.
[11]

“Charter” (PDF). azelin.files.wordpress.com. 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 January 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
[12]

“Turkey Suspends Support To One its Syrian Proxy Groups For Refusing To Send Fighters To Libya”. 24 April 2020 – via The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights.