Ideology Islamism Opponents Jaysh al-Islam Area of operations Rif Dimashq Governorate Opponent Jaysh al-Islam | Strength 1,500+ Headquarters Duma Battles and wars Syrian civil war | |
Active 19 September 2014 - 9 March 2015 Leaders Ahmad Taha (POW)
Nizar Khabbini | ||
The Jaysh al-Ummah (Army of the Nation) was a rebel coalition of 20 small rebel groups active during the Syrian Civil War. The group operated in Damascus and Rif Dimashq Governorate. It was disbanded on 9 March 2015, after it was defeated by Jaysh al-Islam and its remaining fighters defected to the Syrian government forces in Eastern Ghouta.
Contents
History
On 19 September 2014, 10 small rebel groups formed the Jaysh al-Ummah. The leader of Jaysh al-Islam, Zahran Alloush, condemned the formation by saying that "there cannot be two heads for the same body". This immediately resulted in a tension and sporadic clashes between the two groups.
On 29 September 2014, the leader of Jaysh al-Ummah survived an assassination attempt, but his deputy was killed. On 19 October 2014, a second assassination attempt was made on him. The attack wounded him and killed his son.
On 1 January 2015, the newly formed Osod al-Haq brigade joined the coalition.
The powerful rebel group Jaysh al-Islam affiliated with the Islamic Front declared war on Jaysh al-Ummah on 4 January 2015 and arrested its leader and seized its headquarters in Douma within a timespan of 6 hours. It also isued a warrant against the deputy Nizar Khabbini. During the clashes, the Usad al-Ghouta (Lions of Ghouta) surrendered to Jaysh al-Islam, while 1,500 members of Jaysh al-Ummah were invited to join the ranks of the Islamic Front.
The day before, two leaders in the Jaysh al-Ummah were assassinated by unknown gunmen.
On 9 March 2015, the remaining fighters of the Jaysh al-Ummah in Eastern Ghouta, alongside Al-Anfal Brigade, defected to the Syrian government forces.