HTS and its allies. Who are the jihadist groups involved in the operation to "Deter Aggression"?

On 27 November 2024, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary Armed Forces and Opposition, in cooperation with Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its operations room al-Fateh al-Mubin through the joint operations room “Management of Military Operations” launched the largest military operation in recent years against regime-controlled areas in the north and north-west of Syria, in a surprise offensive that took control of most of Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city.

Large areas of the Idlib governorate, now targeting Hama. Alongside HTS and the rebel and opposition factions, however, many jihadist groups are active militarily, and often as major players in the advances and conquests, mostly aligned with or integrated into the HTS brigades. Below, we will show who these groups are.

Tavhid va Jihod

One of the first groups to enter the conflict, on the axis of the 46th regiment, was the jihadist group Tavhid va Jihod (KTJ). This is a jihadist group composed mainly of Uzbek, Tajik and Kyrgyz fighters, which today operates as the Liwa of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, the Liwa “Abu Ubaidah al-Jirrah”. Katibat al Tawhid Wal Jihad was created in northern Syria in 2013 and joined the al-Nusra Front in September 2015. Interestingly, the previous leader Abu Saloh was removed from leadership under pressure from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham for openly supporting its jihadist opponent, the Qaedist group Hurras al-Din. In March 2022, the US State Department designated Katibat al Tawhid Wal Jihad (KTJ) as a global terrorist group. The group comprises 400-500 fighters, specialising in sniping operations, operations behind enemy lines, direct assaults and artillery and mortar attacks. Its current emir is Ustoz Abdul Aziz, while the main ideologue is Ahluddin Navqotiy.

Xhemati Alban – Albanian Tactical

The second group to have taken part in the offensive on Aleppo was the “Albanian Congregation Battalion”, a jihadist group that emerged in 2012, composed of some 50-100 Albanian fighters from Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, and the Presheva Valley (territory of southern Serbia).

Since its establishment, it has played an important role in the northwestern Syrian jihadist galaxy, despite its small numbers, as it manages both the military and operational aspects. The group consists of four units: snipers, miners, artillery and mortars, and a tactical group (Albanian Tactical). The group is aligned with HTS and coordinates with the “al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room”. The leader and military commander is Abu Qatada al-Albani. Abu Muhammad al-Julani, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, appointed Abu Qatada al-Albani in the summer of 2014 as head of the group's military operations in Syria. The US Treasury Department designated Abu Qatada as a terrorist on 10 November 2016. Since 2017, Xhemati Alban and Albanian Tactical have been promoting strong propaganda about the military operations conducted by their snipers and the military training, planning, production and modification of weapons.

Mujahdin Ghuroba Division

Also, on the axis of the 46th regiment and towards Aleppo, the jihadist group Katibat Mujaheddin Ghuroba Division, also known as Ghuroba al-Turkestan or Ghuroba Community, operates. In July 2017, a new jihadist group established itself in north-western Syria, Katibat al-Ghuraba al Turkistan, when it started to disseminate videos of its battles against the Assad regime together with other jihadist groups. The group collaborated with Malhama Tactical between 2018 and 2019 and with other jihadist groups such as KTJ and LMA. It is integrated into HTS as the Omar bin al-Khattab brigade, with which it participated in several offensives in northern Hama and southern Aleppo. Since 2022, it has shown itself in its propaganda and operations under the name “Katibat Mujaheddin Ghuroba Division”. The group consists mainly of Uzbeks, Tajiks and Uyghurs, but also includes Arab fighters within it. Numbers vary between 200 and 400 fighters. Their leader is Abu Abudrhaman al-Turkistani.

The Islamic Party of Turkestan (TIP) in the land of Sham

In 2015, the leadership of the Islamic Party of Turkestan decided to send the “Katibat Turkistani”, also known as the Turkestan Islamic Party for the Support of the People of the Levant, to fight in the Syrian civil war, taking part in the Jisr al-Shughur offensive. The branch of the “TIP in the Sham”, composed exclusively of Uyghurs, immediately forged important military links and collaborations with HTS and between 2015 and 2016 its fighters were decisive in numerous battles. In August 2024, it officially joined the brigades of HTS (Liwa Zaid bin Zarita) and collaborated with the “al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room”. The group is very large, probably between 1 and 2 thousand fighters.

Yurtugh Tactical

Yurtugh Tactical is a group composed exclusively of Uyghur fighters, founded in 2018 by highly specialised and trained veteran fighters. The objectives of the Yurtugh Tactical group are mainly twofold: to provide knowledge and military training to the Uyghur population, to fight the “Chinese oppressor regime” and to form the East Turkestan state. In August 2024, it officially joined the HTS (Liwa Zaid bin Zarita) brigades and cooperated with the “al-Fateh al-Mubin Operations Room”. The group’s name is derived from the military term “Yurtugh”, which identifies a special military unit of the army of the Turkish Kanato Karakhanid dynasty. Yurtugh Tactical has relations with other tactical groups such as Albanian Tactical and is allied with the Chechen jihadist group Ajnad al-Kavkaz.

Jaysh al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (LMA)

LMA was founded in 2012. It began collaborating with the al-Nusra Front and actively participated in the Aleppo offensives against the Syrian army and its allies, in 2013 and throughout 2014. On 28 January 2017, Liwa Muhajireen wal-Ansar became a member group of HTS as “Liwa Said ibn Zeid”. The group’s leadership structure consists of a military leadership, a Shari’a committee, a Shura council and a media arm (LMA). The group consists of 400-500 fighters, mostly Chechens, Tajiks, Dagestani, Azerbaijanis, Kazakhs, and Ukrainians, but there are also Libyans, Saudis and Turks within it. The current leader of the LMA is Abdullah Dagestani.

Ajnad al-Kavkaz

It is an exclusively Chechen jihadist group active in northern Syria, mainly in the mountainous and forested areas of the Latakia and Idlib governorate. Ajnad al-Kavkaz, “Soldiers of the Caucasus”, emerged in 2015 from the merger of two groups of Chechen veterans whose fighters previously belonged to the former Caucasus Emirate. In April 2023, the group's leader Abdul Hakim al-Shishani and some of his lieutenants of their own free will chose, out of opportunity, to go and fight the Russians in other contexts and in particular left for Ukraine. They are a group independent of HTS, but actively collaborate with its operations room and are allied with Jaysh Muhajireen wal Ansar (LMA), Muhojir Tactical, Xhemati Alban and Yurtugh Tactical. Its current leader is Abdul Malik al-Shishani.

Ansar al-Tawhid

It is a recent Syrian group compared to the others, born in March 2018. In late April 2018, Ansar al-Tawhid decided to start collaborating with the Qaedists of Hurras al-Din and Ansar al-Islam to overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad. In May 2020, to prevent HTS aggression against Hurras al-Din and al-Qaeda affiliated groups, Ansar al-Tawhid declared its full independence and withdrew from all alliances. The group is stationed in the rural areas and countryside of Idlib governorate, with strongholds located in the towns of Sarmin and Neirab, and has between 300 and 400 fighters, mostly veterans of the Syrian war. Although independent, it cooperates and is aligned with HTS and its operations room.

Conclusions

All of the groups mentioned above, along with the tactical groups (Frusan Tactical and Musafeer Tactical are also participating in the battle but they belong to HTS's special forces, the Red Bands), are groups of jihadist ideology that have been in Syria for many years, have strong ties to HTS and the territory, many of their fighters are married to Syrian women and have children born in Syria, and fully share the objective of HTS and the rebel factions to overthrow the regime. These groups, except for Ansar al-Tawhid which is a local group, even though they have end goals related to their home areas, strictly adhere to HTS rules, as confirmed in an interview with the former Emir of LMA: “Fighting under one command is the most important way to achieve victory”.

Analysis appeared on 05/12/2024 on Akhbar al-Aan Media TV.

Daniele Garofalo is a researcher and analyst on Jihadist terrorism and an expert in monitoring Jihadist media channels.

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