The latest in SNA reshuffling
Analysis and an updated outline of SNA structure
On June 25th Media Office of the SIG’s Ministry of Defense announced the latest change to the structure of the Syrian National Army: the merger of Liwa’ Samarqand, Liwa’ 112, and Faylaq al-Majd under the name Harakat al-Nahdah wa’l-Tahrir (‘The Renaissance and Liberation Movement’). This new entity is to be affiliated with the SNA’s 3rd Legion - dominated by al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah - and subdivided between the 36th Division (Faylaq al-Majd), and the 37th Division (Liwa’ Samarqand and Liwa’ 112). As is always the case with Syrian ‘opposition mergers’, it remains to be see to what extent this new entity will exist in reality.
This announcement represents the latest in a trend that began in 2021 - the formation of intra-SNA entities/coalitions/alliances separate from (but not overriding) the formal three legion structure the SNA was created with in late 2017. While the founding statements of such highlight the need for unity within the ranks these formations appear to exist as a way for factions to increase their power and defend their interests against more powerful SNA factions. As in the example of the ‘Azm Unified Operations Room and Harakat Tha’iroun/Hay’at Tha’iroun lil-Tahrir, this balancing is often related to the underlying rivalry between al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah - the most independently powerful SNA faction - and Furqat al-Sultan Murad - a longtime Turkish ally. Both the aforementioned SNA alliances disappeared in late 2022 after HTS’s brief invasion of Afrin upended the status quo and saw Turkey push a return to the three legion structure.
Currently there are several such entities operating within the SNA, the most important being al-Quwwah al-Mushtarikah - comprised of Furqat al-Hamzah and Furqat al-Sultan Suleiman Shah, and Harakat al-Tahrir wa’l-Bina’ - including Furqat Ahrar al-Sharqiyah, Jaysh al-Sharqiyah, al-Furqah 20, and Suqour al-Sham Northern Sector. The former seems to have last due to the factions involved being sizable and wishing to maintain autonomy outside of al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah and Furqat al-Sultan Murad, while the latter is primarily made up of slightly smaller factions tied together with a common ‘eastern’ (Deir ez-Zour/al-Raqqah/al-Hasakah) identity. In both examples the individual factions have all maintained their own identities and appear to operate daily affairs in a independent manner.
My assumption is that provided it takes off the ground Harakat al-Nahdah wa’l-Tahrir will operate similar to Harakat al-Tahrir wa’l-Bina’ given both the size of the factions involved and their relative distance from al-Shamiyah/al-Sultan Murad antagonism. For more on these three groups see my profile of Liwa’ Samarqand from last year and this 2019 Twitter thread on Faylaq al-Majd. I am not aware of a similar profile of Liwa’ 112 though it appears to consist of members of opposition faction Jaysh al-Ahfad, created in 2016 by former elements of nationwide alliance Alwiyat Ahfad al-Rasoul local to northern Aleppo, and is active in the Ma’batli subdistrict of Afrin (see video below) and on the front lines in al-Bab.
As can be seen in comparing the two outlines below the 1st Legion has shrunk significantly in the last several years, while the 2nd Legion has ballooned. This move slightly reinforces the 3rd Legion and gives it a presence in central Afrin which it has lacked since al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah was largely kicked out of the region in the fall 2022 clashes.
1st Legion
Commander: Mu’tazz Raslan (Jaysh al-Nukhbah Northern Sector)
2nd Division
Division 13
2nd Legion
Commander: Fahim ‘Isa (Furqat al-Sultan Murad)
Maghawir al-Sham (Division 26)
Liwa’ al-Shamal (Brigade 111)
Liwa’ Thuwwar al-Sham
Faylaq al-Sham Northern Sector (Brigade 141)*
*It appears that some Faylaq al-Sham brigades in Afrin are affiliated with Idlib-based al-Jabhah al-Wataniyah lil-Tahrir instead of the SNA directly. Additionally the group left the 1st Legion for the 2nd Legion in late 2022, but does not appear to have made a public announcement.
3rd Legion
Commander: Muhammed Jamal Deiri (al-Furqah 51)
al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah (c. 2019: Divisions 31, 32, 33)**
ex-Tajammu’ al-Shahba’ factions
al-Furqah 51, Liwa al-Salam, and other small local northern Aleppo groups (c. 2019: Division 34)
Harakat al-Nahdah wa’l-Tahrir
**Division 32 or Ahrar al-Sham Eastern Sector left al-Jabhah al-Shamiyah in June 2022 and soon splintered, some staying in the 3rd Legion others leaving for the 2nd
2019/20 SNA structure [via ]
