Alwaght- Over the last few weeks there have been increased infighting and discord within the ranks of Fath al Sham, terrorist group in Syria.
Fath al-Sham or Jabhat Fateh Al-Sham (JFS), which changed its name from al-Nusra Front back in July last year, is one of countless foreign-backed terrorist groups operating inside Syria. This terror group is considered al-Qaeda’s main branch in the war-torn Arab country.
This terrorist group, started its operation in late 2011 months after the start of the assault by foreign-backed terrorists in the country in what was part of efforts to oust the legitimate government of President Bashar Al Assad. Fath al Sham has been operating in various parts of Syria, including suburbs of Damascus, Idlib and Aleppo before its liberation.
Led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, Al Fath al Sham Takfiri terrorist group is blacklisted by the UN Security Council and listed as a terrorist group by the several countries.
This group has enlisted and trained terrorists from many countries and has massive arsenal of weapons thus making it among the most dangerous terrorist groups in Syria.
These intense rivalries and infighting have not only been reported in the Idlib province they occupy but also with other terrorist groups including Ahrar Sham.
Several days ago, two ringleaders of Fath al Sham declared that they have left the group. These terrorist kingpins who left Fath al Sham include Abu Ahmad Zakuri who was a member of the consultative council who also headed the economic affairs department of the group and Hamza Sandah a member of the consultative council and the head of the military affairs of the group in Aleppo.
These two notorious terrorists declared that they are leaving Fath Al Sham due to intense infighting and rivalries among members of the group operating in Syria.
Last week, Fath Al Sham stormed the headquarters of Ahrar Al Sham in Idlib’s western countryside. The incident came a day after the latter denounced participation in the Astana talks.
Aleppo liberation weakened Fath al Sham
The victory of Syrian and allied forces in the strategic city of Aleppo which was liberated last December after occupation by terrorists who had been occupying its eastern side since 2012. The liberation of Aleppo was a tipping point which accelerated the fall of this notorious terrorist group.
Indeed, the retaking of Aleppo increased infighting and wrangling within Fath al Sham terrorist group in the liberated city and other parts of Syria.
Fath al Sham has also lost crucial support it previously enjoyed from regional actors before the liberation of Aleppo. Countries backing terrorist groups, Qatari, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, have decided to distance themselves from Fath al Sham due to the brutal crimes it committed under their orders and therefore making it disqualified from contributing to the post-war political dispensation in Syria.
Fath Al Sham has also been unable to coalesce other scattered armed groups into a single fighting unit after the liberation of Aleppo.
It is noteworthy that before the liberation of Aleppo, there was a single command structure in Fath Al Sham and the group used to capture a region even after losing another. But after the historic liberation of Aleppo, the single command structure collapsed and the terrorist group is now a shell of its former self.
Dumped by Turkey
Another factor which is hastening the downfall of Fath Al Sham is the lack of trust and confidence which other armed militants and terrorists have on this group thus making it lose it supremacy.
Meanwhile, during the recent truce brokered by Iran, Russia, and Turkey between the Syrian governments and armed opposition groups backed by Turkey clearly excluded groups viewed by the United Nations Security Council as terrorists. This rules out the ISIS terrorist group and Fath al-Sham.
Therefore, Fath Al Sham is no longer useful to the Turkish authorities who initially funded and armed the group. Ankara has apparently decided to exterminate Fath Al Sham for now by separating it from other so called moderate militant groups.
