Nationality Syrian Name Jamal Maarouf Battles/wars Syrian Civil War | Years of service 2011-present Allegiance FSA(2011-present) | |
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Known for Leader of the Syrian Martyrs' Brigade Service/branch Syria Revolutionaries Front | ||
Battles and wars Syrian civil war | ||
Jamal Maarouf (Arabic: جمال معروف) is a Syrian rebel leader active during the Syrian Civil War who was one of the most powerful rebel leaders in northern Syria during the earlier stages of the conflict. He is the military chief of the Syria Revolutionaries Front and leader of the Syrian Martyrs' Brigade, both part of the Free Syrian Army.
Biography
Before the popular uprising against president Bashar al-Assad, Jamal Maarouf was a construction worker. He had previously served a prison sentence for sexual assault. He was one of the first to take up arms in the Idlib province against the Assad government. He later called for the expulsion of Alawi Muslims across Aleppo province. Jamal Maarouf created the Syrian Martyrs' Brigade in December 2011 and later the Syria Revolutionaries Front, with funding by Saudi Arabia. The SRF was accused of corruption and of hoarding bread to raise prices in areas under its control, prompting the al-Qaeda affiliated al-Nusra Front to attack it. Maarouf then fled to Turkey after his force was defeated by the al-Nusra Front in late 2014.
