Army of Conquest
The Army of Conquest, or Jaish al-Fatah in Arabic, is a loose alliance of armed rebel groups formed in March to fight the forces of President Bashar al-Assad. It is not a unified army; its member groups share resources and coordinate their efforts in battle, but they remain independent, and there is no overall military commander.
The alliance consists of a number of mostly Islamist factions, including the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate; Ahrar Al-Sham, another large group; and more moderate rebel factions that have received covert arms support from the intelligence services of the United States and its allies.
- — A Look at the Army of Conquest, a Prominent Rebel Alliance in Syria - Ben Hubbard, The New York Times, October 1, 2015
The coalition, whose formation was announced in March, comprises a range of mostly jihadist and Islamist groups, the most prominent being Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front and the powerful Islamist Ahrar Al-Sham. Other important members include Faylaq al-Sham, a coalition of Muslim Brotherhood-linked battalions, and Jund al-Aqsa, a small jihadist group. But the coalition has cooperated with moderate rebel groups, including Fursan al-Haq, which previously received US weapons.
- — 'Army of Conquest' rebel alliance pressures Syria regime - AFP, 28 April 2015
Sources
- 'Army of Conquest' rebel alliance pressures Syria regime - AFP, 28 April 2015
- ISIS and the New ‘Army of Conquest’ in Syria Are Headed for a Showdown - Jamie Dettmer, The Daily Beast, May 23, 2015
- A Look at the Army of Conquest, a Prominent Rebel Alliance in Syria - Ben Hubbard, The New York Times, October 1, 2015
- THE ARMY OF CONQUEST THREATENS WESTERN CIVILIZATION - Col. Richard H. Black, WND, 07/27/2015
- Wikipedia: Army of Conquest