AFRIN, Syria (North Press) – In Afrin region, northwest Syria, Turkish-backed armed opposition factions belong to two main legions of the Syrian National Army (SNA); the First Legion, the Second Legion following the withdrawal of the Third Legion, amid presence of the security apparatus of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS – formerly al-Nusra Front).
On October 13, the HTS took control over Afrin following clashes with the Third Legion that was forced to retreat towards the city of Azaz and its countryside.
Since then, Afrin has been under the control of several factions in the security and military arenas, the most notable faction is the security apparatus of the HTS that has been controlling every aspects of the security in the city of Afrin and its countryside. The body is led by Abu Abdullah al-Iraqi and Abu Muhammad al-Abdeli.
Ahrar al-Sham has military points and offices in the city of Afrin and the villages of Basouta, Jindires and Bulbul with no more than 400 personnel led by Abu Ubayda al-Sheikh.
Afrin has been under the control of Turkey and the SNA factions since 2018 following the so-called Olive Branch operation against the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) under the pretext of preserving Turkish “national security”.
The operation caused the displacement of about 300.000 of the original inhabitants of the Kurds of Afrin who have been taking shelter in 40 villages and five camps in Shahba region since then.
Sham Legion, led by Munzur Sarar al-Ikhwenij, is a main faction in the area and mostly supported by the HTS in Deir Balout, Jindires, Mabata, Basouta, Rajo and Kafr Janneh. The faction has military offices, olive refineries, drugs manufacture and coal factories in addition to a security apparatus.
Sultan Murad Division which is led by Fahim Issa and commanded by Nasser al-Nahar and Abu Walid al-Azi, is a main faction within the Third Legion that operates in Rajo, Kafr Janneh, Mabata, Afrin, Katmeh and Sharran.
The group has a security apparatus that is linked directly to the Turkish Intelligence Services (MIT) being the most pet faction to receive support from the Turkish side. It has about 800 security and military personnel operating in Rajo and Basouta.
Sultan Suleiman Shah Division (al-Amshat) led by Muhammad al-Jassem al-Turkmani, who owns the biggest drug manufacture in the area of Sheikh Hadid in the countryside of Afrin, the main bastion of al-Amshat.
In addition, it has offices in Mabata, Afrin city, Sharran, Midan Ikbes, Maydanki and Bulbul. However, there are no more than 300 fighters. It belongs to the Second Legion which is affiliated with the HTS.
The main secret supportive faction of the HTS in providing both ammunition and weapon in coordination with Sham Legion is al-Hamza Division, known otherwise as Saif Abu Bakr Division which has nearly 400 militants in the whole of Afrin.
The division operates in 16 military posts in Raco and its countryside in addition to a security apparatus, ten security and military posts in Bulbul, and a drug manufacture in the village of Burj Abdullah, southwest of Afrin city which is also home to offices of al-Hamza Division. In Jinderis there are two points of the division besides Marata, Katmeh and Mashaleh.
Although they are affiliated with the Third Legion, Faylaq al-Majd (Glory Corps) and Division 51 observed neutrality in the recent struggle against HTS, and preserved their presence in the area of Raco in the northern camp added to military posts on several sections on the border with Turkey besides others in Katmeh and Sharran.
While Faylaq al-Rahman, Liwa al-Montaser, 9th Armoured Division, Suqour al-Sham Brigades and Liwa al-Fajr are all affiliated with the Second Legion which is subject to Fahim Issa, leader of the legion and that of Sultan Murad Division.
It is deployed in areas in Kafr Safra, Basouta, Ain Dara, Kerzayhel, Marata,, Mabata, Maydanki, and Sharran in both security and military offices.
However, the most influential force in the region is HTS’ security apparatus. Its militants wear the uniform of Ahrar al-Sham or of al-Amshat.
Civilian and military polices receive orders from the MIT directly to which it is affiliated solely and upon its instructions it behaves.