Army of Islam

On September 29, 2013 forty-three Islamist rebel battalions pledged alliance to Liwa al-Islam commander Sheikh Zahran Abdullah Alwash and joined forces to create the Army of Islam (Jaish Al Islam).

The Liwa al-Islam YouTube channel broadcast video of the swearing-in ceremony. The meeting was held in some huge industrial hall with some 100 delegates present. The Army of Islam banner follows the design of the Liwa al Islam banner. The coalition shares its name with a Gaza-based US-designated terrorist organization.


 * بيان تشكيل جيش الاسلام (Statement of the formation of the Army of Islam) 4m13s x 2
 * 43فصيل عسكري يقدمون البيعة للقائد الشيخ زهران علوش قائدا لجيش الاسلام (providing military faction allegiance to the leader Sheikh Zahran Alwash commander of the Army of Islam) 13m23s x 2
 * كلمة أهل الحل والعقد في تشكيل جيش الإسلام (Word of the people of the solution and the contract in the formation of the Army of Islam) 17m18s x 2

On November 22, 2013, the Army of Islam merged with a number of other relevant fighting groups and formed the Islamic Front with Zahran Alloush as its "Military Commander".

10.11.2015 Zahran Alloush is reported killed; video appears to show the funeral (25.12.2015: video is no longer available; no definite information on the November incident, either)

Reactions
SyrianGirl on Facebook:
 * ''Syria: More than 40 insurgent groups the most significant of which being Liwa Al islam in Syria merge to form "Islamic Army". This came after 13 militant groups including many core "FSA" joined with Jabhat al Nusra to rejected the SNC "Syrian National Coalition" puppet regime in Turkey and formed an "Islamic unity under Sharia law" a day ago. US puppet regime has virtually lost all influence over the insurgency.