Alwaght- As the Syrian government’s forces and their allies intensify attacks on the terrorists’ positions in the Eastern Ghouta in Damascus outskirts, the media close to the Syrian opposition groups are reporting of warmed up infighting among the militant groups in the area.
The opposition news outlets have reported on Thursday that the Jaysh al-Islam militants have clashed with the rival militant group Faylaq al-Rahman in the Eastern Ghouta.
Syria Direct news website has quoted an independent anonymous reporter as saying that “the conditions in the Eastern Ghouta are shameful; people are taken aback and are waiting to see what happens next.” Furthermore, Orient News TV, owned by the Syrian opposition, reported on Thursday that seven fighters from Jaysh al-Islam and five civilians have been killed in the recent clashes in Damascus outskirts.
According to a statement published by Islam Alloush, the spokesman for Jaysh al-Islam, the new fighting between the militant groups sparked on Thursday morning after the militants of Faylaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Fustat along with fighters from al-Nusra Front- Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch-, Ahrar al-Sham and Fajr al-Ummah Brigade launched assaults on Jaysh al-Islam headquarters in six districts in the Eastern Ghouta.
The Eastern Ghouta region is held by Jaysh al-Islam militant group and its center is Douma.
Jaysh al-Islam was formed in 2013 with a huge support of Saudi Arabia and with the leadership of Zahran Alloush. It is a coalition of Salafist groups and units, with thousands of trained fighters. It is considered as the largest and most organized militant force among the terrorist groups active in Syria. After killing of its former leader Zahran Alloush in east of Damascus on 25 December 2015 by a Syrian air force’s airstrike, Jaysh al-Islam has seen a shrink in its power and cohesion, as the militant units forming the coalition started to develop gaps between themselves, according to the reports.
After Jaysh al-Islam, Faylaq al-Rahman holds the largest sway in the Eastern Ghouta. The group’s power witnessed an increase after some units from the rival group Jaysh al-Islam joined it in January 2016. Jaysh al-Islam and Faylaq al-Rahman had clashed earlier. Almost a month ago, Faylaq al-Rahman has released a statement, accusing Jaysh al-Islam of making efforts to assassinate one of its leaders.
A member of Jaysh al-Islam, who spoke on condition of anonymity, has told Syria Direct website that “Faylaq al-Rahman and Jaish al-Fustat seek broadening their influence and control over Eastern Ghouta by putting Jaysh al-Islam between a rock and a hard place in Douma; they want to destroy Jaysh al-Islam.”
However, amid heightened battle between the terrorist groups in the Eastern Ghouta, the Faylaq al-Rahman’s Air Defense Brigade has released a video online, announcing its defection from its parent group and joining Jaysh al-Islam.
Ahrar ash-Sham, accused of cooperation with Faylaq al-Rahman by Jaysh al-Islam, has denied any involvement in the clashes. Khaled Abu Uns, known as the second man of Ahrar ash-Sham, has posted on Twitter “Ahrar ash-Sham is not party in Eastern Ghouta’s awkward fighting; we call on our brothers from both sides to immediately halt the clashes." Additionally, Syria Direct reported, quoting members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), that “the Eastern Ghouta would receive damages in the upcoming days as the clashes, siege and international distrust in the moderate groups grow bigger.
The infighting among the terrorist groups is taking place while the forces of the Syrian army, accompanied by fighters from Lebanon’s Hezbollah, in past few days have launched renewed assaults against them in the Eastern Ghouta. Al-Masdar New website has reported that on Friday night units from the Syrian armed forces, backed by Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces (NDF), started the second phase of anti-terror operation in Damascus’ outskirts. They targeted Rukabiyah village close to Deir al-Asafir, one of the hotbeds of Jaysh al-Islam, according to Al-Masdar New.
"The Syrian Armed Forces and Hezbollah have already captured the southern part of the town after launching their assault from the nearby villages of Sheba’a and Hatite Al-Turkman,” the same report suggested.
