Ideology Sunni Islamism Battles and wars Syrian Civil War | Area of operations Syria | |
Active September 2013 – January 2014 Opponents Syrian Armed Forces
National Defense Force | ||
The Islamic Coalition was founded in September 2013 in Syria in the context of the Syrian Civil War. The Coalition was founded in opposition to the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC), and initially included 13 Islamist groups, including three "previously considered part of the [SNC]'s military wing, the Free Syrian Army." Members included the Al-Nusra Front and Ahrar ash-Sham as well as the Tawheed Brigade and Islam Brigade; the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant was not a member, but its joining was not ruled out. In its founding statement, titled "Communique No. 1," The group rejected the "interim prime minister" Ahmad Tu'mah elected by the SNC 10 days earlier, and called for "'an Islamic framework…based on Shari'ah' as the sole source of legislation." The group stressed that it remained supportive of General Salim Idris' Supreme Military Council - it was abandoning only the political coalition, saying it "does not represent us." A spokesman for the Tawheed Brigade has stated that there is no common organization between the groups. Al Nusra Front has denied that there is a formal coalition. The founding of the Coalition took place in the context of attempts to launch the Geneva II Middle East peace conference.
Contents
History
The coalition quickly fell apart. In November 2013, Islamic Coalition signatories Ahrar ash-Sham, Liwa Tawheed, Suqour al-Sham, Liwa al-Islam and Liwa al-Haq went on to join together in the Islamic Front coalition. In January 2014 signatories Nour al-Din al-Zinki Brigades, Division 19, Fastakam Kama Umirt Gathering, Liwa al-Ansar and Harakat al-Nour united in the Army of Mujahedeen.
Members
Reuters listed the 13 groups as