The Jaysh al-Muwahhideen (Arabic: جيش الموحدين) or Jaysh Abu Ibrahim (Arabic: جيش أبو إبراهيم) was a Druze militia group in Syria. Their name means "Army of Monotheists" or "Army of Unitarians". The group mainly operated in the Suwayda, Deraa, Damascus and other regions where the Druze are concentrated and announced their formation in the beginning of 2013. The leadership describes the group as Unitarian Druze engaging in defensive war, but has also been described as supporters of Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government. It operated largely in the Jabal al-Druze, also known as Jabal al-Arab, a mountainous area of as-Suwayda Governorate as well as the Mount Hermon area in Damascus Governorate, areas primarily inhabited by Druze. The group was set up in response to attacks on Druze civilians. The group commemorates anticolonial figures such as Sultan al-Atrash, who was a prominent Druze chieftain.[1][3][2]
| Jaysh al-Muwahhideen | |
|---|---|
 Jaysh al-Muwahhideen logo .svg) Druze flag used by Jaysh al-Muwahhideen | |
| Leaders | Abu Ismail Ibrahim Al-Tamimi |
| Dates of operation | 2013 – 2018 |
| Active regions | Aleppo Governorate, As-Suwayda Governorate, Deraa Governorate, Damascus Governorate |
| Ideology | Syrian Druze interests[1] |
| Allies |  Syrian Armed Forces  Hezbollah al-Abbas brigade  Ba'ath Brigades Popular Committees[2] |
| Opponents |  Free Syrian Army Islamic Front  Al-Nusra Front Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant |
| Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War Daraa and As-Suwayda offensive (June 2015) |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Aymenn Al-Tamimi (13 November 2013). "The Druze Militias of Southern Syria". Retrieved 26 December 2013.
- ^ a b Aymenn Jawad (19 September 2014). "Suwayda Village Militias". Archived from the original on 9 October 2014. Retrieved 6 October 2014.
- ^ Aymenn Jawad (15 November 2013). "More On The Druze Militias in Southern Syria". Retrieved 6 October 2014.