Al-Shahba Gathering
| Al-Shahba Gathering | |
|---|---|
| Leaders | Hussein Assaf[1] |
| Dates of operation | 2 February 2023[2]– 4 April 2024[3] |
| Group(s) |
|
| Active regions | |
| Size | Over 7,000[8] |
| Part of |  Syrian National Army[1] (denied by the Syrian Interim Government)[2]Unified Force[9] |
| Allies |  Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham[2] |
| Opponents | Third Legion Sultan Murad Division[4] |
| Battles and wars | Syrian civil war |
The Al-Shahba Gathering was a coalition of Syrian rebel groups in Aleppo Governorate, Syria during the Syrian civil war.
Background
[edit]The Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, which had been severely weakened by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham in 2019, formed the "Kataeb Bloc", which became the nucleus of the Al-Shahba Gathering.[2]
Ahrar al-Sham Eastern Sector, under the command of Hassan Soufan, defected from the Third Legion. Ahrar al-Tawhid, which included the "al-Fatah Brigade, al-Qawa 55, First Central, Free 322 Brigade, 5th Battalion, Brigade 343, and the Sultan Othman Brigade", was formed in December 2022 as a continuation of Liwa al-Tawhid, which had merged into the Levant Front.[2]
History
[edit]2023
[edit]The faction originally included Ahrar al-Sham Eastern Sector, Ahrar al-Tawhid (50th Division) and Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, with the Azaz Falcons Brigade joining days later. Most of the groups were originally part of the Levant Front, with the exception of Ahrar al-Sham Eastern Sector.[2]
Six groups from the Northern Storm Brigade also defected to the Al-Shahba Gathering.[5]
The coalition fought against the Third Legion and the Sultan Murad Division in September 2023 over control of the al-Hamran crossing, which resulted in injuries and deaths on both sides.[4]
2024
[edit]The Al-Shahba Gathering dissolved itself in 2024 and became part of the Levant Front.[3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Hassan Ibrahim (20 November 2023). "New military merger increases factionalism and puts a foothold for HTS in Aleppo". Enab Baladi. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f "Shahba Gathering: Is HTS organizing its own militia in north Aleppo? Part I". North Press Agency. 1 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b c "Al-Shahba Gathering leadership announces its dissolution in Aleppo countryside". Enab Baladi. 5 April 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b c d "Ceasefire Agreement Stops Days of Infighting in SNA-Controlled Northern Syria". Levant24. 27 September 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Shahba Gathering: Is HTS organizing its own militia in north Aleppo? Part II". North Press Agency. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 11 June 2025.
- ^ "اعتماد فصيلين جديدين ضمن الجيش الوطني السوري.. ما أبعاد الخطوة؟" [Two new factions have been approved within the Syrian National Army. What are the implications of this move?]. Syria TV (in Arabic). 29 February 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
- ^ "HTS Strategy Beyond Idlib: Patterns, Ambitions, and Limitations". Emirates Policy Center. 6 November 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ "ريف حلب.. "تجمع الشهباء" يعزز صفوفه وينفي تبعيته لأي جهة". Enab Baladi (in Arabic). 28 February 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
- ^ Barry Marston (27 January 2025). "Explainer: Rivalries and alliances in the Turkey-backed Syria National Army". BBC. Retrieved 4 June 2025.
