When the hardline Islamic State group (ISIS) began its war against rebels and other Islamist factions in liberated areas, the Army of Islam was amongst the first battalions to face aISIS in Ghouta’s eastern suburbs, successfully forcing them from the area.
But ISIS returned to eastern Ghouta’s district of Damascus under a different nom de guerre, the al-Ansar battalion; a name without any substantial military significance or achievements. The Al-Qaeda affiliated Nusra Front recently expelled al-Ansar battalion from eastern Ghouta suburbs.
To understand the truth about al-Ansar battalion, Zaman al-Wasl met with one of the four founding commanders who spoke on the condition of anonymity, revealing that all the battalion’s leaders were former commanders in the Nusra Front.
Al-Ansar battalion’s commander summarized their principles in six points, the most important of which was implementing God’s orders – namely swearing loyalty to God, the prophet and the Quran, which the Nusra Front had not applied.
Al-Ansar battalion claims its goals are to stop internal conflict and conspiracy against the nation, activating sleeping military formations in eastern Ghouta, support all fighting groups in their struggle against Assad’s regime, and training fighters in camps on arms and combat.
