TheNational Front for Liberation (Arabic:الجبهة الوطنية للتحرير,Al-Jabhat al-Wataniya lil-Tahrir) was a Syrian rebel coalition that was part of theSyrian National Army (SNA) fighting in theSyrian Civil War. The group was formed by 11 rebel factions in northwesternSyria in May 2018,[14] and was officially announced on 28 May 2018. The formation receives major support fromTurkey.[10] The group joined the SNA on 4 October 2019.[9]
At the event on 29 January declaring the victory of the Syrian revolution, most factions of the armed opposition, including the Syrian National Army, which the NFL was part of, announced their pending dissolution. Around 40,000 fighters[15] of the National Front for Liberation were incorporated[16] into the newly formedMinistry of Defense.[17]
On 1 August, Ahmad Sarhan ("Abu Satif") of the Suqour al-Sham Brigades and Walid al-Mushayil ("Abu Hashim") ofJaysh al-Ahrar were named as the group's new first and second deputy commanders, respectively, while Walid al-Mushayil ("Abu Hashim") ofAhrar al-Sham was appointed chief of staff.[1]
On 5 August, the NFL arrested 45 people accused of attempting to reconcile with theSyrian government inal-Ghab Plain and Mount Shashabo in the westernHama countryside.[18] On 13 August, the crackdown campaign was expanded toMaarat al-Nu'man andAriha.[19]
On 9 August, the NFL's Sham Legion launched an attack on aPeople's Protection Units (YPG) cell in the southeasternAfrin countryside, killing four YPG fighters and capturing small arms and ammunition.[12]
On 14 August, the group released a video showing the training of its self-proclaimed "Unit 82 SWAT Forces".[20] On the same day, a group of around 200 fighters formed the Free Hayan Brigade and joined the NFL in order to "unite factions", "fight forces of the Syrian regime", and avoidrebel infighting.[21] The next day, the Free North Brigade, which operates around the same area, also joined the NFL.[22] On 27 August, the Imam Ali Battalion joined the Free North Brigade.
It merged with the SNA in October 2019. According toMiddle East Eye, neither the NFL nor SNA fighters had been informed of the merger, which was announced at a press conference inUrfa, southern Turkey.[25]
On 9 October 2019, 500 fighters from the Army of Glory, including its deputy commander-in-chief Captain Manaf Maarati and spokesman Captain Mustafa Maarati, reportedly defected to the NFL.[26]
On 15 March 2020, Step News Agency reported that Fadlallah al-Haji had resigned from his position on the orders of the Turkish government. The move came after the discovery of a large-scaleembezzlement involving the Sham Legion and other groups within the NFL who misrepresented the amount of fighters within their ranks in order to receive extra salaries from their Turkish ally. Turkey requested the NFL to prepare between 2,000 and 3,000 fighters to prepare for aTurkish Armed Forces-led military offensive against the Syrian Armed Forces in the westernAleppo Governorate in the event of theRussia–Turkey ceasefire breaking down, but the NFL only equipped 350 fighters after submitting 14,000 fake names to Turkey.[27] However,Enab Baladi contactedCaptain Naji Mustafa, who denied that al-Haji had resigned,[28] and al-Haji continues to serve as the commander-in-chief of the NFL.[29]
In November 2024, the National Front for Liberation joined in on theHTS-led Operation Deterrence of Aggression, launching a coordinated assault on regime positions in northwestern Syria. During the 2024 Battle of Aleppo, NFL fighters played a key role in helping to take control of city alongside other rebel factions. within less than two weeks, the combined efforts of the Deterrence of Aggression factions and southern rebel groups ultimately led to the swift collapse of the Assad regime by December of 2024.[30]
In late January of 2025, the NFL participated in the Syrian Victory Conference, held in Damascus to chart the country’s post-war future. The group, alongside the rest of theSyrian National Army and other rebel groups, agreed to formally dissolve and integrate into the newly established Ministry of Defense under the newSyrian Transitional Government.[31]
^الخطيب, حسام (11 September 2018)."المعارضة المعتدلة.. القوة الأساسية في إدلب".هيومن فويس | عين على الحقيقة. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved4 October 2019.
Syrian Interim Government
Turkey[10]
Tahrir al-Sham[11]
Ba'athist Syria
Russia
Iran
Syrian Democratic Forces[12]