TheAl-Rahman Legion (Arabic:فيلق الرحمن,Faylaq al-Raḥmān), also known as theAl-Rahman Corps, was aFree Syrian Army rebel group that operated in EasternGhouta on the outskirts ofDamascus, and in the easternQalamoun Mountains. It was the main rebel group inJobar, and was backed byQatar.[26] The group's leader was Abdul al-Nasr Shamir, a former Syrian Army officer from ruralHoms who defected from the Syrian Army in early 2012.[27][1][28]
The Legion has been described as an "Islamist" organization.[1] It describes itself as "a revolutionary military entity aiming for the downfall of the Syrian regime, but not seeking to create an Islamic state".[29] In 2016, it was described as "one of the oldest standing opposition factions in Damascus and maintains high levels of local legitimacy and support."[28] Under a surrender agreement, over 5,000 of its fighters and associated civilians left Damascus for northwestern Syria in March 2018.
On 18 February 2016,Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union fighters based in eastern Ghouta announced the "full incorporation" of its fighters into al-Rahman Legion, though reiterating that its fighters based in the western Damascus suburbs ofDarayya andMoadammiyyeh as well as in southern Damascus would still operate under the Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union banner and were not a part of this merger.[34]
On 24 May 2016, leaders of Jaysh al-Islam and al-Rahman Legion met to sign aQatari-backed deal to end hostilities after theEast Ghouta inter-rebel conflict (April–May 2016), supervised byRiyad Farid Hijab. On 14 June 2016, clashes erupted again, with the al-Rahman Legion taking control of several zones previously held by Jaysh al-Islam in the southern part of Eastern Ghouta.[22]
On 21 October 2016, fighters from the al-Rahman Legion opened fire on protesters demanding the formation of a joint military operations room between Jaysh al-Islam and the Rahman Legion. Up to 5,000 people attended the protests throughout eastern Ghouta.[40] Less than a week later, the Glory Brigades seceded from the Rahman Legion, making it the 9th rebel group to leave the legion since the start of the war. Previously several of these groups have seceded in order to join theAjnad al-Sham Islamic Union and the now defunctJaysh al-Ummah.[41][42]
In February 2017, the head of the Rahman Legion's political council, Mutasim Shamir, attendedpeace talks inGeneva.[3]
Between February and May 2017, the Legion was targeted by the government'sQaboun offensive. In March 2017, the Legion clashed with government forces in Jobar.[43]
From April 2017,heavy clashes restarted between Jaysh al-Islam and the Rahman Legion, backed byTahrir al-Sham (HTS).[44] More than 95 rebels from both sides were killed,[44][45] among them a captain of the Rahman Legion.[citation needed] On 2 May,Colonel Abu Muhammad al-Kurdi of the Rahman Legion defected to Jaysh al-Islam.[citation needed]
On 8 May 2017, the Glory Brigades rejoined the Rahman Legion after the latter surrounded the former's headquarters inHamouriyah for 2 days.[46][better source needed]
In June, government forces started anoffensive against the Legion in Jobar, which lasted until mid-August. Government sources claimed 400 rebels were killed during the first month of the offensive.[47]
In July 2017, increasing tensions were reported between the Legion and its former ally HTS in eastern Ghouta.[48] On 6 August 2017, 120Ahrar al-Sham fighters inArbin defected to the Rahman Legion after internal disputes.[49] Ahrar al-Sham accused the Rahman Legion of seizing their weapons, while the Rahman Legion accused Ahrar al-Sham of their attempt to implement their "failed" experience from northern Syria in eastern Ghouta.[50] Tahrir al-Sham reportedly sided with Ahrar al-Sham against the Rahman Legion during the clashes.[24] A ceasefire agreement between the Rahman Legion and Ahrar al-Sham was implemented on 9 August.[51]
In August 2017 in Geneva, the Legion signed a deal withRussia to join thede-escalation area ineastern Ghouta, brokered by Russia,Turkey andIran.[52] However, in September 2017, there were reports of clashes between the Legion and government forces in Jobar.[53]
The Legion was involved, alongside Ahrar al-Sham, in theBattle of Harasta, November 2017-January 2018.
In February 2018, government forces launched alarge-scale offensive to recapture eastern Ghouta from rebel groups, including the Rahman Legion. By March, the rebel pocket in eastern Ghouta was split into three, with the southern pocket ofHamouriyah being controlled by the Legion. Al-Rahman fighters withdrew from Hamouriyah toEin Tarma by 15 March.[54] On 23 March, the Legion reached a surrender agreement with Russia, and began to evacuate its fighters and their families from Zamalka, Arbin, Ein Tarma, and Jobar the next day.[55] A convoy of more than 5,400 rebel fighters and civilians departed the pocket on 25 March, reaching northwestern Syria the next day.[56]
Al-Rahman Legion was supported byQatar.[57] Qatari-backed Al-Rahman Legion has been fighting Saudi Arabian-backedJaysh al-Islam.[58] The group was actively using AmericanBGM-71 TOW anti-tank missiles.[59]
Turkey supported the group, but in 2020 it suspended the support to them, because they refused to obeyTurkey's order to send fighters into Libya. A few militants of the group went on to fight in Libya anyway, despite the rejection of their commanders.[60]
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