Khalid ibn al-Walid Army
| Khalid ibn al-Walid Army | |
|---|---|
| جيش خالد بن الوليد Participant in the Syrian civil war |
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The Black Standard of ISIL
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| Active | 21 May 2016 – present |
| Ideology | Salafi jihadism |
| Groups | |
| Leaders |
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| Area of operations | Daraa Governorate, Quneitra Governorate |
| Strength | 1,000–1,400+[3] |
| Part of |  Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Opponents | |
| Battles and wars | Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian civil war |
The Khalid ibn al-Walid Army (Arabic: جيش خالد بن الوليد Jaysh Khalid ibn al-Waleed) is an armed Salafi jihadist group active in southern Syria. It was formed by a merger of the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, the Islamic Muthanna Movement, and the Army of Jihad, all affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, on 21 May 2016. The faction controls a strip of territory southeast of the Golan Heights and is in conflict with forces of the Syrian rebels.[1]
Ideology[edit]
The Khalid ibn al-Walid Army enforces a strict form of Sharia. In the small pocket the group controls, its fighters forced women to wear niqabs and men to wear loose trousers and to grow long hair and beards. Since 2016, the group has executed more than 20 people, mostly in the town of Shajara by beheading. The group has also locked smokers in cages and amputated people on allegations of theft.[4]
History[edit]
The group is named after Khalid ibn al-Walid, who led the Muslim armies in the Battle of Yarmouk in 636 CE, which inflicted a heavy defeat on the Byzantine Army and led to the Muslim conquest of the Levant.
The date on the document declaring the establishment of the group is 14 Sha'aban 1437, corresponding to Saturday 21 May 2016 and is signed by Abu Hashim al-Shami (also known as Abu Hashim al-Hamawi), the emir of the group.[5]
On 14 August 2016, the Khalid ibn al-Walid Army launched a major attack against the Army of Conquest-held town of Hawd al-Yarmouk; however, despite heavy fighting and losses on both sides, no progress was made by the ISIL fighters.[6][7]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Far from Raqqa and Fallujah, Syria rebels open new front against ISIL in the south". The National. 29 May 2016.
- ^ "New reported leader for Jaysh Khalid ibn al-Waleed". 24 October 2016.
- ^ "Is Islamic State coming to Israel?". The Economist. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
- ^ "'Damn these times we live in': In a forgotten corner of Syria, Islamic State-inspired militia imposes 'brutal' rule". Syria:direct. 24 January 2017.
- ^ http://www.aymennjawad.org/2016/05/yarmouk-valley-the-formation-of-jaysh-khalid-ibn
- ^ Fadel, Leith (14 August 2016). "Intense clashes erupt in west Daraa as ISIS attempts to advance". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
- ^ "Clashes breakout between IS allied faction and rebels in Dar'a". SOHR. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
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