Aleppo Defenders Legion () is a pro-

Assad Asad (), sometimes written as Assad, is an Arabic male given name literally meaning "lion". It is used in nicknames such as ''Asad Allāh'', one of the by-names for Ali ibn Abi Talib. People Among prominent people named "Asad" or "Assad" a ...

militant group based in

Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...

and targets mainly opposition forces that are against Bashar al-Assad with their control and mandate around Aleppo controlling local law enforcement and any legal activities in the area, ADL is known to commit

arson Arson is the act of willfully and deliberately setting fire to or charring property. Although the act of arson typically involves buildings, the term can also refer to the intentional burning of other things, such as motor vehicles, watercr ...

, murder, and physical assault and other forms of harm to those who oppose Bashar al-Assad. The group is effectively the Syrian regime's main control of Aleppo.

History

The group was established on 27 February 2017, after the Aleppo Defenders Legion brought together many of the local militias with support from Iran's

Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, is a multi-service primary branch of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces, Iranian Armed Forces. It was officially established by Ruhollah Khom ...

with its formation occurring near the time where regime sponsored militias took control of Aleppo's eastern city and neighborhoods. This group serves as an umbrella organization which emerged during the first quarter of 2017 as the regime expanded against the

Islamic State The Islamic State (IS), also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and Daesh, is a transnational Salafi jihadism, Salafi jihadist organization and unrecognized quasi-state. IS ...

in east Aleppo. The groups backing and purpose is to also deepen Iran's ties with Aleppo and it's region. As a governing body and militant group, the Aleppo Defenders Legion has participated and held meetings with the Aleppo sector of the Syrian Ba'ath party, Liwa al-Baqir, and

Liwa al-Quds Liwa al-Quds (; meaning the Jerusalem Brigade) is a predominantly Syrian Palestinian paramilitary group and Syrian Army brigade that operated as a part of pro-Syrian government forces in the Syrian Civil War. In 2019, it became a part of the Syr ...

. The armed battalions of the Aleppo Defenders Legion include Fawj al-Safira, Fawj Hadher, and Fawj Azan with the ruling commander of all of them, including the group itself, Aleppo Defenders Legion, being Saber Rameen after succeeding Javad Ghaffari in 2021. In the areas of Aleppo and

Syrian Democratic Forces The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) is a Kurds in Syria, Kurdish-led coalition of U.S.-backed Left-wing politics, left-wing ethnic militias and rebel groups, and serves as the official military wing of the Democratic Autonomous Administration ...

territory, the Aleppo Defenders Legion is one of the primary traffickers of narcotics through those areas, specifically,

Manbij Manbij (; ; ) is a city in the northeast of Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria, west of the Euphrates. The 2004 census gives its population as nearly 100,000.

Tell Rifaat Tell Rifaat (, also spelled Tel Rifaat, Tel Rif'at or Tal Rifaat) is a city in northern Aleppo Governorate, northwestern Syria. Located roughly north of Aleppo, the city is the administrative center of Nahiya Tell Rifaat. Nearby localities inclu ...

, and the Aleppo countryside adjacent to Afrin. The Aleppo Defenders Legion has the city of Aleppo primarily divided into four sectors known as squares, the second square is considered to be the most influential which is located in the central district of al-Telfon al-Hawaei. These squares are basically the governing bodies of the cities sectors which further exercises the control of local leaders and neighborhood councils that consist of individuals close to the ADL. The legion is also represented in Aleppo's provincial and city councils. Each square has sub-offices that directly oversee the provision of services related to education, culture, religious affairs, and other matters. Within all these squares of influence and control, the group maintains control of the law enforcement and local governance. In 2021, the Aleppo Defenders Legion established a

Shia Shia Islam is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political successor (caliph) and as the spiritual leader of the Muslim community (imam). However, his right is understood ...

faction, specifically people from the

Twelver Twelver Shi'ism (), also known as Imamism () or Ithna Ashari, is the Islamic schools and branches, largest branch of Shia Islam, Shi'a Islam, comprising about 90% of all Shi'a Muslims. The term ''Twelver'' refers to its adherents' belief in twel ...

Ja'fari The Jaʿfarī school, also known as the Jafarite school, Jaʿfarī fiqh () or Ja'fari jurisprudence, is a prominent school of jurisprudence (''fiqh'') within Twelver and Ismaili (including Nizari) Shia Islam, named after the sixth Imam, Ja'far ...

sect, of the group after recruiting people from villages in the

Aleppo Governorate Aleppo Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Ḥalab'' ) is one of the fourteen Governorates of Syria, governorates of Syria. It is the most populous governorate in Syria with a population of more than 4,867,000 (2011 Est.), almost 23% of the t ...

and

Idlib Governorate Idlib Governorate ( / ALA-LC: ''Muḥāfaẓat Idlib'') is one of the 14 governorates of Syria. It is situated in northwestern Syria, bordering Turkey's Hatay province to the north, Aleppo Governorate to the east, Hama Governorate to the sou ...

including the villages of

Nubl Nubl (, also spelled Nubbul or Nubbol) is a small city in northern Syria, administratively part of the Aleppo Governorate, located northwest of Aleppo. Nearby localities include al-Zahraa immediately to the south, Anadan to the southeast, Tel R ...

, Al-Zahra,

Kafriya Kafriya (, also spelled Kifarya or Kefraya) is a village in northern Syria, administratively part of the Idlib Governorate, located northwest of Idlib. Nearby localities include Maarrat Misrin to the north, Zardana to the northeast, Taftanaz to ...

, and Al-Foua in addition they recruited

Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...

Muslims from the area to teach them Shi'ite doctrine. Children's areas were also set up where some children were recruited for military work.

References

{{Reflist 2017 establishments 2017 establishments in Syria Anti-ISIL factions in Syria Syrian civil war 2024 disestablishments in Syria