Syrian Jihadism by Aron Lund

Index
Terminology ................................................................................................................... 4
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 5
A Sunni uprising ............................................................................................................ 7
Sectarian makeup of the regime ................................................................................. 9
Sectarian makeup of the opposition ......................................................................... 10
Assad as the Islamists’ ”perfect enemy” .................................................................. 11
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) .................................................................................. 13
The FSA and Sunni Islamism .................................................................................. 15
An example from the FSA: the Tawhid Division .................................................... 16
Foreign funding .................................................................................................... 18
Foreign fighters .................................................................................................... 21
Syrian jihadist groups .................................................................................................. 23
Jabhat el-Nosra..................................................................................................... 25
Ahrar el-Sham Brigades ....................................................................................... 31
Fath el-Islam ........................................................................................................ 33
Suqour el-Sham Division ..................................................................................... 36
Ansar Brigade ...................................................................................................... 37
Umma Division .................................................................................................... 38
Syria Revolutionaries’ Front (SRF) ..................................................................... 39
el-Mouminoun Yusharikoun ................................................................................ 41
Fajr el-Islam ......................................................................................................... 42
Abdullah Azzam Brigades ................................................................................... 42
Suleiman Fighting Company ............................................................................... 43
Ansar el-Islam Gathering ..................................................................................... 44
About the Author ......................................................................................................... 48
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