From last Wednesday's (10/22/14) Syria Comment:
"I have previously written on Sunni groups created within Iraq to fight against the Islamic State [IS], but what about in Syria? Some attention has been devoted to the group “Al-Kafn Al-Abyad” (The White Shroud), but on social media I have seen some controversy as to the nature of The White Shroud.
"For example, people ask: is it Jabhat al-Nusra, or ‘FSA’?
"To answer this question, one needs to bear in mind that The White Shroud is an anti-IS outfit originally set up in the Deir az-Zor locality of Albukamal on the border with Iraq (now declared part of IS’ ‘Euphrates Province‘ spanning the borders, including al-Qa’im just over the border with Iraq): indeed describing itself as 'the brigades of popular resistance in Albukamal.'
"It will be recalled from my prior work that the town of Albukamal originally had six factions, listed below with their wider affiliations where applicable:
"- Liwa Allahu Akbar (SMC/Hayat al-Arkan)
- Kata’ib Allahu Akbar (Authenticity and Development Front)
- Liwa al-Mujahid Omar al-Mukhtar (independent; one-time pro-Ahrar al-Sham)
- Liwa al-Qadisiya al-Islamiya (independent; pro-Caliphate, tied to seeing the Syria and Iraq struggle for Sunnis as one)
- Katiba Bayariq al-Sunna (independent; pro-Caliphate)
- Kata’ib Junud al-Haq (Jabhat al-Nusra; evolved from Katiba Junud al-Haq)"
Presently, White Shroud numbers a few dozen of fighters; the important question is whether it will grow into a legitimate umbrella organization for those fighting IS or will it be marginalized by those getting rich from the Long War for the New Middle East?
Syria Comment Archives The White Shroud A Syrian Resistance Movement to the Islamic State - Syria Comment
"I have previously written on Sunni groups created within Iraq to fight against the Islamic State [IS], but what about in Syria? Some attention has been devoted to the group “Al-Kafn Al-Abyad” (The White Shroud), but on social media I have seen some controversy as to the nature of The White Shroud.
"For example, people ask: is it Jabhat al-Nusra, or ‘FSA’?
"To answer this question, one needs to bear in mind that The White Shroud is an anti-IS outfit originally set up in the Deir az-Zor locality of Albukamal on the border with Iraq (now declared part of IS’ ‘Euphrates Province‘ spanning the borders, including al-Qa’im just over the border with Iraq): indeed describing itself as 'the brigades of popular resistance in Albukamal.'
"It will be recalled from my prior work that the town of Albukamal originally had six factions, listed below with their wider affiliations where applicable:
"- Liwa Allahu Akbar (SMC/Hayat al-Arkan)
- Kata’ib Allahu Akbar (Authenticity and Development Front)
- Liwa al-Mujahid Omar al-Mukhtar (independent; one-time pro-Ahrar al-Sham)
- Liwa al-Qadisiya al-Islamiya (independent; pro-Caliphate, tied to seeing the Syria and Iraq struggle for Sunnis as one)
- Katiba Bayariq al-Sunna (independent; pro-Caliphate)
- Kata’ib Junud al-Haq (Jabhat al-Nusra; evolved from Katiba Junud al-Haq)"
Presently, White Shroud numbers a few dozen of fighters; the important question is whether it will grow into a legitimate umbrella organization for those fighting IS or will it be marginalized by those getting rich from the Long War for the New Middle East?
Syria Comment Archives The White Shroud A Syrian Resistance Movement to the Islamic State - Syria Comment
