| Liwaa al-Umma لواء الامة | |
|---|---|
 Official logo of Liwa al-Umma  Flag of Liwa al-Umma | |
| Leaders | Mahdi Al-Harati (April 2012 - September 2012) ابو الطارق أحمد |
| Dates of operation | April 2012 – 23 September 2015 |
| Active regions | Hama,Syria |
| Ideology | Salafi jihadism[1] |
| Size | 6,000+ (July 2012) |
| Part of |  Free Syrian Army (September 2012[2]–13 January 2014)Muhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance (13 January 2014 – 23 September 2015)[3][4] |
| Allies | Liwa al-Haqq[5] Jund al-Aqsa[5] |
| Opponents | |
| Designated as a terrorist group by |  Malaysia[6] |
Liwaa al-Umma (Arabic:لواء الامةLiwāʼ al-Ummah, meaning "Banner of theNation") was aSalafi jihadist group fighting against the Syrian government in theSyrian Civil War. The group was founded byMahdi Al-Harati, an Irish-Libyan[7] who led theLibyan rebelTripoli Brigade during theBattle of Tripoli.[8] Harati stepped down as the group's leader after six months, leaving Syrians in charge.[8] In September 2012, it aligned itself with theFree Syrian Army.[2]
By January 2014, Liwaa al-Umma had joined with other rebel groups inHama Governorate, includingLiwa al-Haqq andJund al-Aqsa, into aSalafi jihadist coalition called theMuhajirin wa-Ansar Alliance (not to be confused with the Chechen-ledJaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar).[5][9]
Harati decided to form the group following discussions with supporters of theSyrian opposition during a fact-finding mission to Syria in early 2012.
According to Harati, about 90% of its 6,000+ members were Syrians, with the remaining 10% a mixture ofLibyans,Egyptians,Palestinians,Sudanese and other Arabs.[3] Harati also said that most of the Syrian fighters were former members of other rebel groups who decided to join Liwaa al-Umma, whilst others had joined as individuals. He also sayid that most of the Libyans were former members of theTripoli Brigade,[3] which received training fromQatari Special Forces in the town ofNalut during theLibyan Civil War. Syrians in Liwaa al-Umma said that, compared to most other rebel groups in Syria, the group was seen as better organized and more disciplined.[3]
Although allegedly most of its members were Syrian, foreign volunteers played a key role in the leadership of the group. The main alleged reason behind the formation of the group was so that Al-Harati and other foreign volunteers could share with the Syrian opposition their expertise and experiences fighting elsewhere.[3]
Liwaa al-Umma and theFree Syrian Army were separate[10] until around September 2012.[2]
The group also reportedly had plans to set up a political wing to represent it in post-war Syria.[3]
According to Thomas Pierret, a lecturer in contemporary Syrian Islam at theUniversity of Edinburgh, "He (Al-Harati) is not ajihadi; he sees himself as a Libyan revolutionary there to help the Syrian revolution".[11] Members of the group had described the Syrian Civil War as a "people's revolution" and not an "al-Qaeda jihad".[12]
Radwan Mortada, fromAl Akhbar newspaper, described the group as "jihadist" but not as extreme as other groups like theal-Nusra Front. According to the newspaper, the group held that every Muslim has a religious obligation to free Syrians from "the tyrant" and establish "right-guided Islamic rule" in the country. It also said that Liwaa al-Umma follows "Islamic rules of warfare", which includes not targetingnon-combatants, carrying out reprisals against innocents, or harming property or possessions.[13]
The group's allegedFacebook page listed goals such as defending theummah and liberating it from dictatorship and aggression; co-operating to establish Islamic governance, and working to unite the ummah and bring about its "renaissance".[3] Mohammed al-Sukni, Liwaa al-Umma's commander in Homs, said "I would like to see Syria with a moderate Islamic government – something likeTunisia orTurkey".[3] Abdelmajid al-Khatib, the group's political organizer, said that Liwaa al-Umma plan to transform into a political party once the Assad government is overthrown. He said "we envisage a party that will accept all factions, religions, and sects in Syria, includingAlawites, but with an Islamic frame of reference" and added, "we want to be part of any transitional government".[3]
Liwaa al-Umma was well-funded compared to other Syrian rebel groups, with most of its uniforms and weapons having been bought in Turkey. Harati claimed that the group's funds come from a network of private donors from throughout Syria, the Middle East, and North Africa, with several named benefactors fromKuwait receiving particular praise on the group's Facebook page.[3]
(in Arabic)
