Jaysh al-Islam

Jaysh al-Islam
جيش الإسلام Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Official logo of Jaysh al-Islam
Active	2011–2013 (as Liwa al-Islam) 2013–present (as united faction)
Ideology	Sunni Islamism Salafism
Groups	Units of Jaysh al-Islam Omar Legion Islamic Brigade Islamic Army Brigade Sword of Truth Brigade Signs of Victory Brigade Conquest of the Levant Brigade Ghouta Shield Brigade Siddiq Brigade South of the Capital Brigade Badr Brigade Omar Bin Abdulaziz Brigade Tawheed Soldiers Brigade Sword of Islam Brigade Omar Bin Khattab Brigade Muath Bin Jabal Brigade Zubayir Bin Al-Awam Brigade Dhul Nurayin Brigade Hamzeh Brigade Air Defense Brigade Missile Defense Brigade Tank Brigade Military Direction Brigade Dahir Bebers Brigade Sword of Truth 2 Brigade Gamloon Warriors Brigade Slaves of the Merciful Brigade Murabiteen Brigade Bedouin Brigade Sunnah Supporters Brigade Ahl al Bayt Brigade Martyrs of Atarib Brigade Coastal Defense Brigade Ayn Jalout Brigade Tawheed Supporters Platoon Mujahedeen Platoon Abu Dujana Falcons Platoon Sunnah Platoon Brigade of Imam Hussein Bara'a Bin Azab Platoon Liwa Suqour Horan Katibat Majed Islam Ansar al-Sham (former)
Founding leader	Zahran Alloush †
Military leader	Essam al-Buwaydhani (2015–present)
Political leader	Mohammed Alloush
Spokesman	Islam Alloush
Headquarters	Eastern Ghouta, in the Damascus suburb of Otaybah
Area of operations	Arsal, Lebanon Damascus, Rif Dimashq, and Homs Governorate,Syria
Strength	17,000–25,000 (May 2015) 12,000 (December 2016)
Part of	Islamic Front (2013–2015) Mujahideen Shura Council (2014–present) Syrian Revolutionary Command Council (2014–2015) Unified Military Command of Eastern Ghouta (2014–2015) Rad al-Mazalem (2013–present)
Originated as	Liwa al-Islam (Arabic: لواء الإسلام‎‎)
Allies	Saudi Arabia  Turkey Free Syrian Army Ahrar ash-Sham Ajnad al-Sham Islamic Union (former) al-Rahman Legion Army of Mujahedeen (former) Alweiat Al-Furqan (former) Sham Legion (former) Liwa al-Majid Al-Nusra Front (sometimes) Jabhat al-Akrad (former)
Opponents	Syrian Armed Forces Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant People's Protection Units Al-Nusra Front (sometimes)
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War 18 July 2012 Damascus bombing Battle of Aleppo (2012–present) Rif Dimashq offensive (November 2012–February 2013) Damascus offensive (2013) Rif Dimashq offensive (March–August 2013) Rif Dimashq offensive (September–November 2013) Syrian opposition–Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant conflict Al-Nusra Front–Syria Revolutionaries Front conflict Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015) 2015 Jisr al-Shughur offensive Battle of Zabadani (2015) Eastern Ghouta offensive (2015)
Website	www.jaishalislam.com

Sunni Islamism

17,000–25,000
(May 2015)

Jaysh al-Islam (Arabic: جيش الإسلام‎‎, meaning Army of Islam), formerly known as Liwa al-Islam (Brigade of Islam), is a coalition of Islamist and Salafist units involved in the Syrian Civil War. Its primary base of operations has been the Damascus area, particularly the city of Douma and region of Eastern Ghouta. Jaysh al-Islam is the largest rebel faction in the area, as was Liwa al-Islam. The group was a part of the Islamic Front. The organization has rejected membership of the Free Syrian Army. The group along with Ahrar ash-Sham are the main rebel groups supported by Saudi Arabia. The group aims to create an Islamic state under Sharia law.

Liwa al-Islam was established by Zahran Alloush, the son of Saudi-based religious scholar Abdullah Mohammed Alloush, after Syrian authorities released him from prison in mid-2011, where he had been serving time for his Salafist activism. The group claimed responsibility for carrying out the July 2012 Damascus bombing that killed Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha, Deputy Defense Minister Asef Shawkat, and Assistant Vice President Hassan Turkmani. Liwa al-Islam was a driving force behind actions in the Damascus region. It cooperated and conducted joint operations with the Al-Nusra Front.