Seljuk Brigade

{{Short description|Militia in Syria}}

{{update|date=December 2018}}

{{infobox war faction

| name = Seljuk Brigade

| native_name = {{langx|tr|Selçuklular Tugayı}}
{{langx|ar|لواء السلاجقة}}

| war = the Syrian Civil War

| image =

| image_alt = border

| caption = Flag of the Seljuk Brigade

| active = 2013 – 2018

| ideology =

| clans = Hammam Turkmen Martyrs Brigade

| leaders = *Col. Talal Ali Silo{{cite web |url= https://hasanmustafas.wordpress.com/2015/11/16/an-analysis-of-jaish-al-thuwar-the-army-of-revolutionaries-a-component-of-the-syrian-democratic-forces/|title= An Analysis of Jaish al-Thuwar (The Army of Revolutionaries) – A Component of the Syrian Democratic Forces|date= 16 November 2015|website= |publisher= |access-date= 3 May 2016}} until November 2017

  • Hani al-Mullah{{KIA}}{{cite web|url=http://all4syria.info/Archive/343578|title=The killing of a senior commander in the Syrian Democratic Forces and news about suicides|work=All4Syria|date=10 September 2016}}

| headquarters = Al-Rai, Syria (formerly)

| area = {{plainlist|

| size =

| partof = {{tree list}}

{{tree list/end}}

{{tree list}}

{{tree list/end}}

| predecessor =

| successor =

| allies = 25px People's Protection Units (2015–present){{cite web |url= http://www.peacefare.net/2015/12/16/|title= Day: December 16, 2015 Opposition turmoil|date= 16 December 2015|website= |publisher= peacefare.net|access-date= 3 May 2016}}

{{flag|Turkey}} (2013–2015)

| opponents = {{plainlist|

{{flagdeco|ISIL}} Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant{{cite news|url=https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/a-frontline-report-the-ground-war-against-the-islamic-state|title=A Frontline Report: The Ground War Against the Islamic State|date=15 December 2015|publisher=Combating Terrorism Center|accessdate=3 May 2016|archive-date=28 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170528113729/https://www.ctc.usma.edu/posts/a-frontline-report-the-ground-war-against-the-islamic-state|url-status=dead}}
{{flag|Syria|1980}} ({{small|2013–2015}})}}

| battles = {{tree list}}

{{tree list/end}}

| url = {{ConditionalURL}}

| image_size = 200px

| groups =

}}

The Seljuk Brigade ({{langx|tr|Selçuklular Tugayı}}, {{langx|ar|لواء السلاجقة}}) is a Syrian Turkmen rebel group participating in the Syrian civil war, named after the Seljuk Turks.

History

The Seljuk Brigade was founded in early 2013 in the northern Aleppo Governorate by Colonel Talal Ali Silo and was temporary a part of the Suleyman Shah Brigade.

It was initially based in the Turkmen village of al-Rai, before its capture by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://al-akhbar.com/node/199796|title=Shepherd town ... between "Daesh" and "Seljuk"|work=Al-Akhbar|date=31 January 2014}} As with the other Syrian Turkmen Brigades, the group was supplied and armed by Turkey, although tensions occurred between them after the capture of al-Rai due to Turkey favouring the Fatih Sultan Mehmed Brigade in Jarabulus, sending only a limited amount of arms to the Seljuk Brigade.{{cite web|url=http://anfenglish.com/features/sdf-spokesman-we-may-be-up-against-turkey-and-its-affiliates-in-al-bab|title=SDF Spokesman: We may be up against Turkey and its affiliates in al-Bab|work=ANF News|date=18 October 2016}}

It then joined the Army of Revolutionaries in August 2015, which became part of the Syrian Democratic Forces in October 2015. The group's commander, Talal Silo, was present at the SDF formation announcement; furthermore, he announced the SDF's 2015 Al-Hawl offensive. In November 2017, Silo defected to Turkey.{{Cite web|date=16 November 2017|title=Reports: SDF spox Silo defects to FSA, Turkey|url=https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/151120171|access-date=2021-12-27|website=Rudaw}}

Unlike other Turkmen rebel groups, they were allied with the Kurdish YPG. The Seljuk Brigade in Manbij condemned the Turkish military intervention in Syria in late August 2016.{{cite web|url=http://aranews.net/2016/08/conflict-us-led-coalition-allies-increases-one-turkish-soldier-killed/|title=Conflict between US-led coalition allies increases, one Turkish soldier killed|work=ARA News|date=28 August 2016|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160831064158/http://aranews.net/2016/08/conflict-us-led-coalition-allies-increases-one-turkish-soldier-killed/|archivedate=31 August 2016}}

On 10 September 2016 one of the brigade's commanders, Hani al-Mullah, died of a gunshot to the head in the town of Tell Abyad. The Syrian Citizen journalism organisation Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently claimed that his death was the result of suicide, although other sources dispute this and allege that the killing was an assassination, either by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization and Turkish rebels or by ISIL militants.{{cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/syria-turkmen-commanders-killed/3513531.html|title=Killing of Turkmen Commanders in Syria Complicates IS Fight|work=VOA News|date=17 September 2016}} As a result, a curfew was imposed in Tell Abyad.

References