Retribution Army
{{infobox war faction
|name = Retribution Army
|native_name = {{lang|ar|جيش القصاص}}
Jayš al-Qiṣāṣ
|war = Syrian Civil War
|image = Al-Qassas Army logo.png
|caption =
|active = ? – mid-2015 (defunct?)
|ideology =
|leaders = Abu Ali{{cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/06/23/cant-we-all-just-get-along-and-march-on-raqqa-kurds-free-syrian-army-isis/|title=Can't We All Just Get Along and March on Raqqa? |author=David Kenner |work=Foreign Policy |date=23 June 2015|accessdate=24 June 2015}}
|groups =
|headquarters =
|area = Aleppo Governorate,{{cite web|url=http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/factions-kobani-ayn-al-arab/|title=The Factions of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab)|publisher=Syria Comment|date=21 November 2014|accessdate=25 November 2014}} Raqqa Governorate, and Deir ez-Zor Governorate{{cite news |url=https://english.aawsat.com/2014/06/article55333345 |title=ISIS, Syrian government continue siege of Deir Ezzor |date=17 June 2014 |author=Hannah Lucinda Smith |work=Asharq Al-Awsat |accessdate=19 September 2017 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160428014840/https://english.aawsat.com/2014/06/article55333345 |archivedate=28 April 2016 }}
|size = ~500 ({{small|claimed}})
|partof = Euphrates Volcano ({{small|until June 2015}}){{cite web|url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/syrian-kurdish-leader-hails-euphrates-volcano-fight-against-1988594600|title=Syrian Kurdish leader hails 'Euphrates Volcano' fight against IS|publisher=Middle East Eye|accessdate=25 November 2014|date=12 September 2014}}
Free Syrian Army{{cite web|url=http://aranews.net/2014/09/ypg-fsa-form-joint-military-chamber-combat-isis-syria/|title=YPG and FSA form a joint military chamber to combat ISIS in Syria|publisher=ARA News|date=12 September 2014|accessdate=25 November 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141014063318/http://aranews.net/2014/09/ypg-fsa-form-joint-military-chamber-combat-isis-syria/|archivedate=14 October 2014}}
|predecessor =
|successor =
|allies =
|opponents = Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Syrian Armed Forces
|battles = Syrian civil war
}}
The Retribution Army ({{langx|ar|جيش القصاص}}; Jayš al-Qiṣaṣ) was a Free Syrian Army (FSA)-affiliated group formed by Deir ez-Zor natives that fought in the Syrian Civil War against the government and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
History
The Retribution Army was originally founded in Deir ez-Zor by Sunni Arabs and took part in the three-way battle for the city between loosely allied rebel factions, the Syrian Armed Forces, and ISIL. When the FSA units in Deir ez-Zor were overrun by ISIL in mid-2014, surviving remnants of the Retribution Army retreated north into areas held by the People's Protection Units (YPG). Eventually relocating to Kobanî Canton, the Retribution Army became a founding member of the Euphrates Volcano operations room in September 2014.
The group then took part in the defence of the town of Kobanî against the siege by ISIL, and continued to fight with the YPG and its allies until mid-2015. At the time led by Abu Ali, a former primary schoolteacher, they took part in the Tell Abyad offensive. After Tell Abyad was captured, however, disputes erupted between the Retribution Army and the YPG. Abu Ali later claimed that his men had hoisted the Syrian Independence flag over the city per a previous agreement, but it was taken down and replaced by the YPG banner. Feeling insulted, the Retribution Army then left Euphrates Volcano and went to Turkey. There, Abu Ali said in an interview that the Syrian Kurds are "like the devil", though admitted that many other FSA units remained allied to the YPG.
Though Abu Ali claimed that the Retribution Army would continue to fight in Syria at another front after "some much-needed rest", the unit has not resurfaced since.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Sister project links |commons=Category:Syrian Civil War (2011-present) |n=Category:2011 Syria anti-government protests |wikt=no |b=no |q=no |s=no |v=no |species=no |display=the Syrian civil war}}
{{Syrian Civil War}}
Category:Anti-Assad factions of the Syrian civil war
Category:Anti-ISIL factions in Syria
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2015