October 2016 Idlib Governorate clashes

Tensions between the two groups initiated on 4 October, when Ahrar al-Sham captured a Jund al-Aqsa member accused of being a cell for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. In response, Jund al-Aqsa militants kidnapped an Ahrar al-Sham member, beat his wife, and shot his brother. Both sides called for the release of their captured members and threatened military action.

The conflict escalated on 6 October, as clashes broke out throughout the Idlib Governorate and the northern Hama Governorate. Jund al-Aqsa captured all Ahrar al-Sham positions in the town of Khan Shaykhun and attacked them in northern Hama, while Ahrar al-Sham expelled the former from Maarat al-Nu'man and 4 other villages in Idlib. 800 fighters from Ahrar al-Sham and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham defected to Jund al-Aqsa during the clashes.

As a reaction to the clashes, several other rebel groups signed a statement announcing that they would side with Ahrar al-Sham against Jund al-Aqsa in the conflict. The signatory groups were:{{cite web|url=http://www.elwehda.com/Al-Wtn-Al-Rby/819757/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85--%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%89-%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D9%88%D9%82%D9%88%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%91%D9%8B%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%89.html|title=News of the day: the major factions of the resistance of the Syrian military announced that it stands with the Ahrar al-Sham in the face of Jund al-Aqsa|work=El-Wehda|date=7 October 2016|access-date=8 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009164019/http://www.elwehda.com/Al-Wtn-Al-Rby/819757/%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%85--%D9%83%D8%A8%D8%B1%D9%89-%D9%81%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%A6%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B1%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%86-%D9%88%D9%82%D9%88%D9%81%D9%87%D8%A7-%D8%B9%D8%B3%D9%83%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%91%D9%8B%D8%A7-%D9%85%D8%B9-%D8%A3%D8%AD%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B4%D8%A7%D9%85-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%AC%D9%87-%D8%AC%D9%86%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%89.html|archive-date=9 October 2016|url-status=dead}} Jaysh al-Islam, Suqour al-Sham Brigade, Sham Legion, Army of Mujahideen, Fatah Halab, and Fastaqim Union.

On 8 October, clashes between the two groups spread to a village in Jabal Zawiya,{{cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=51940|title=Casualties for Ahrar al-Sham during the control of Jund al-Aqsa on a village in the countryside of Idlib|work=Syria HR|date=8 October 2016}} and a senior military commander of Ahrar al-Sham was killed. The next day, in an attempt to end the conflict and find protection, Jund al-Aqsa pledged its allegiance to the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front (also known as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham). However, clashes continued in Idlib, after Ahrar al-Sham rejected the move and vowed to continue fighting Jund al-Aqsa.

Two days later, a ceasefire agreement was signed between Jund al-Aqsa, Ahrar al-Sham, and al-Nusra.{{cite tweet |user= hxhassan|number= 785547392292716544|date= 10 October 2016|title= The agreement between Ahrar al-Sham, Jund al-Aqsa and Jabhat Fateh al-Sham to end clashes between the former two}} However, clashes between the two groups soon erupted again in Idlib.{{cite tweet |user= InsideSourceInt|number= 785615800170188801|date= 10 October 2016|title= #Syria // #Idlib // Clashes re igniting between JAL and Ahrar now in Idlib after relative calm.}} In addition, Jund al-Aqsa, along with al-Nusra, reportedly attacked a base of Ahrar Al-Sham in the town of Tahtaya.{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-civil-war-escalates-idlib-groups-join-battle/|title=Jihadist civil war escalates in Idlib as more groups join the battle|date=11 October 2016|access-date=11 October 2016|archive-date=22 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171222052605/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/jihadist-civil-war-escalates-idlib-groups-join-battle/|url-status=dead}} Meanwhile, 150 Jund al-Aqsa fighters reportedly defected to ISIL as result of the rebel infighting and their group's pledge to the al-Nusra Front.

On 13 October, the general commander of Ahrar al-Sham announced the "end" of Jund al-Aqsa.{{cite web|url=http://www.qasioun.net/en/news/show/39412/General_Commander_For_Ahrar_Al_Sham_We_Announce_Today_The_End_Of_%E2%80%9CJund_Al_Aqsa_Gangs%E2%80%9D|title=qasioun.net|website=www.qasioun.net|access-date=2016-10-13|archive-date=2017-10-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019185857/http://www.qasioun.net/en/news/show/39412/General_Commander_For_Ahrar_Al_Sham_We_Announce_Today_The_End_Of_%E2%80%9CJund_Al_Aqsa_Gangs%E2%80%9D|url-status=dead}}

{{main|Idlib Governorate clashes (2017)}}

On 22 October, Jund al-Aqsa as part of Jabhat Fatah al-Sham attacked Ahrar al-Sham's headquarter in Sarmin.{{cite web|url=http://www.syriahr.com/en/?p=52997|title=Tension return between Jund al-Aqsa and Ahrar al-Sham in the countryside of Idlib and shooting in al-Suwaidaa|work=Syria HR|date=22 October 2016}}

In January 2017, the al-Nusra Front launched several coordinated attacks against Ahrar al-Sham headquarters and positions in the northern Idlib Governorate, near the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing. In addition, al-Nusra also attacked Ahrar al-Sham outposts in Darkush and Jisr al-Shughur.{{Cite web|url=https://medium.com/@_alhamra/why-al-qaeda-jfs-is-attacking-ahrar-al-sham-by-charles-lister-4b49affca03|title=Why Al-Qaeda/JFS Is Attacking Ahrar al-Sham: @charles_lister's Take|work=Medium Corporation|author=Al-Hamra|date=20 January 2017}} On 20 January, Jund al-Aqsa raided an Ahrar al-Sham prison in the Zawiya Mountain and freed 13 of their prisoners.{{cite web|url=https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/trouble-jihadist-paradise-rival-factions-battle-idlib/|title=Trouble in jihadist paradise as rival factions battle in Idlib|work=Al-Masdar News|author=Leith Fadel|date=20 January 2017|access-date=22 January 2017|archive-date=3 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203132405/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/trouble-jihadist-paradise-rival-factions-battle-idlib/|url-status=dead}} Meanwhile, in the same area, al-Nusra attacked the Mountain Hawks Brigade of the Free Idlib Army, and captured a commander and his equipment.{{cite web|url=http://www.alnour.com.lb/ar/news/security/2017-01-21_061848/%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%B5%D9%82%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9|title=Clashes in the countryside of Idlib between the "Brigade Hawks Mountain" and "Front victory"|work=Nour Radio|date=21 January 2017|access-date=22 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202013304/http://www.alnour.com.lb/ar/news/security/2017-01-21_061848/%D8%A7%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%83%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%81-%D8%A5%D8%AF%D9%84%D8%A8-%D8%A8%D9%8A%D9%86-%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D8%B5%D9%82%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%84-%D9%88%D8%AC%D8%A8%D9%87%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%86%D8%B5%D8%B1%D8%A9|archive-date=2 February 2017|url-status=dead}}

• Second Battle of Maarat al-Nu'man
• Idlib Governorate clashes (2017)

{{reflist}}

{{Syrian Civil War}}

Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2016

Category:Conflicts in 2016

Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Jabhat Fateh al-Sham

Category:Idlib Governorate in the Syrian civil war

Category:Hama Governorate in the Syrian civil war

Category:October 2016 in Syria

Category:Military operations of the Syrian civil war involving Ahrar al-Sham

Category:Battles in 2016

{{DEFAULTSORT:Idlib Governorate, October 2016}}