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| Islamic Resistance Front in Syria (IRFS) | |
|---|---|
| جبهة المقاومة الإسلامية في سوريا | |
 | |
| Leader | Abu Jihad Raza |
| Dates of operation | December 17, 2024 – present |
| Country |  Syria |
| Allegiance |  Ba'athist Syria |
| Ideology | Anti-Zionism |
| Allies |  Iran[1] HezbollahLiwa Zainabiyoun[2] Syrian Popular Resistance |
| Opponents |  Israel TurkeySyria |
| Battles and wars | |
| Designated as a terrorist group by | Syria |
TheIslamic Resistance Front in Syria (IRFS;Arabic:جبهة المقاومة الإسلامية في سوريا,romanized: Jabhat al-muqāwamah al-Islāmīyah fī Sūriyā), also known asBrave People - Islamic Resistance Front In Syria (Arabic:الشعب الشجاع - جبهة المقاومة الإسلامية في سوريا,romanized: Alshaeb Alshujae - Jabhat Almuqawamat Al'iislamiat fi Suria),[3] as well asUli al-Baas (Arabic:أولي البأس,romanized: Ūlī albʼs,lit. 'Possessors of Might'),[4] previously known as theSouthern Liberation Front (Arabic:جبهة تحرير الجنوب,romanized: Jabhat taḥrīr al-Janūb), is a militant organization established in response to thefall of the Assad regime and the ongoingIsraeli invasion of Syria.
The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria was established on December 17, 2024 as the Southern Liberation Front with the goal of it, according to a statement released by the organization, to protect the Syrian people and push Israel out of Syrian territory,[5] the statement described it as a grassroots Syrian organization established in response to thenew Syrian government’s silence and inaction regarding Israel, referred to in the statement as “the Israeli enemy” and “the Israeli occupation.” It also stressed that the organization has no affiliation with any state,sect, or party, either within Syria or abroad.[6][7]
The commander of IRFS claimed that the group's formation was spurred by the "ongoing attempts at division, starvation, displacement, arrests, and systematic killings" during theIsraeli invasion of Syria.[8]
On January 9, the group started calling themselves Tahrir al-Janoub (JTJ), or the Southern Liberation Front (SLF). The group announced their formation on their officialTelegram channel where they claimed that their formation is a response against "Israeli occupation’s advance into our lands in southern Syria—specifically in the governorates ofQuneitra,Daraa, and thewestern countryside of Damascus".[9]
The name Southern Liberation Front was changed to the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria on January 11, 2025.[10] According to the group, they changed their name “due to the existence of multiple fronts with the same name”. The group's logo and their declared objectives were also changed.[9]
On March 3, 2025, the Islamic Resistance Front in Syria warned Israeli forces to withdraw from the demilitarized zone in theGolan Heights andSouthern Syria threatening action.[11]
In an interview with theLebanese newspaperan-Nahar on March 27 that the group "is not a transient movement, but rather a fully integrated organization," pointing out the presence of "specialized offices, including political, media, social, and military branches." Additionally, the insider asserted that UAB and the Syrian Popular Resistance troops were no longer in contact: "There was coordination between the two sides in the past." However, we have separated ourselves from this group since the events on the shore on March 6 and the charges made against the Front. Additionally, he asserted that there was no obvious leadership direction for the opposing faction.[12]
On January 9, 2025, the Southern Liberation Front gave Israel 48 hours to withdraw all Israeli troops from the buffer zone near theGolan Heights.[13] The group claimed a few days later that it was monitoring and preparing to attack the IDF in southern Syria.[6]
On January 26, 2025, The Islamic Resistance Front in Syria claimed responsibility for taking down adrone belonging to the Israel Defense Force in Southern Syria in their first official operation against them.[14]
On January 31, 2025, the group claimed that it had attacked the Israeli military in the village of Taranja,Quneitra. But no evidence of the attack was provided, and the group later denied that the incident had taken place in a post onTelegram.[9]
On February 3, 2025, IDF opened fire on an armed group of men inGolan Heights, no injuries from IDF were reported. On the same day, Syrian media claimed that the armed groups fired at IDF soldiers near the village ofTurnejeh,Quneitra. Islamic Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for this attack.[15][16]
On February 27, 2025, the IRFS began forming military cells in Southern Syria, likely with Iranian backing.[17]