The northwest region of Syria (Idlib and its environs) is currently under a ceasefire agreement that was negotiated between Russia and Turkey in March this year. This agreement has most notably involved joint Russian-Turkish patrols along the strategic M4 highway. There has been much rhetoric against the patrols and there were also sit-in demonstrations along the highway, but these displays of opposition have ultimately failed to undo the broader arrangements between Turkey and Russia.
For some time, however, there has been a current of opinion on the more 'extreme' end of jihadist thought in the area that calls for attacks on the Turkish and Russian troops. This strand of thought- not necessarily associated with any of the group positions of the more well-known factions in the field and not necessarily held only by Islamic State members and supporters- has similarly denounced the Turkish presence in the wider area as an apostate occupation that should be fought, since Turkey is part of the NATO alliance, is not considered to have a true Islamic government, and is accused of impeding the broader jihad in Syria.
There are likely individual members of the jihadist factions in the area who harbour such views and desire to attack the Russian and Turkish patrols and the Turkish presence in general. The problem for them though is that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham generally keeps a close watch over things and effectively abides by the ceasefire negotiated between Russia and Turkey. The jihadist factions that set up the 'So Be Steadfast' operations room already suffered heavily from a crackdown by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham this summer. If they were to try to attack the patrols and Turkish presence in general, it could lead to their complete destruction at the hands of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.
Thus, in so far as attacks against the patrols and the Turkish presence are now occurring, it is no surprise that the attacks are claimed under the names of groups that have been otherwise unknown entities before the attacks were claimed in their names. One such entity that is familiar to observers is the 'Kata'ib Khattab al-Shishani'. Now another one has emerged called itself the 'Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron' ('Supporters of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron'), claiming a recent car bomb attack on the Turkish military.
But while it is clear and logical why attacks would not be claimed in the names of the more well-known jihadist factions, there are still many uncertainties. Who exactly are the members of these new claimed entities? Are they composed of completely independent fighters? Are these entities even real bodies or just covers under which members of other jihadist factions can operate so as not to expose to adverse consequences the groups to which they actually belong? Perhaps some former Islamic State members are involved? Even the personalities who write online in support of these attacks do not necessarily have a clear idea of the exact identities of the members of these claimed new entities. One of those writers drew my attention to this statement issued under the name of the 'Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron', but he does not necessarily know who the members of the claimed new group are.
Much is shrouded in mystery save for the fact that the attacks are indeed occurring, and should not come as all of a surprise. Picture yourself in the situation of jihadists who think the jihad is being hindered. Looking at things from their viewpoint it is not hard to understand why they see things in this way.
Below is the full translation of the statement put out in the name of the 'Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron.'
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Statement Regarding the Ashura' Operation 'Sallat al-Zuhur'
Praise be to God who makes mighty Islam by His victory, and lowers idolatry by His vanquishing, and disposes of matters by His command, and increases the bounties in thanks to Him. We bear witness that there is no deity but God alone, who has fulfilled His promise, made mighty His soldiers, defeated the parties alone. There is nothing before Him or after Him. And we bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger, sent by God with the guidance and religion of truth, to make it superior over all religion, even if the disbelievers hate it, even if the criminals hate it, and even if the falsifiers hate it.
As for what follows:
God the Exalted in His loftiness says: 'Fight them: God will torment them at your hands and ruin them and give you victory over them and heal the hearts of a believing people'- al-Tawba 14.
'And fight them until there is no more fitna and religion belongs wholly to God'- al-Anfal 39.
'So slay the idolaters wherever you find them and seize them and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every place of observation'- al-Tawba 5.
And the Messenger of God (SAWS) said: 'Whoso changes his religion, kill him.' [1]
And on the basis of the command of God (Almighty and Exalted is He), your brothers in the 'Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron' conducted a good operation on the blessed night of Friday 9 Muharram 1442 AH on one of the main points of the Turkish 'NATO' army on the 'M4' road concentrated in the 'Sallat al-Zuhur' school, through the raid of the brother 'Abu Suleiman al-Ansari' (may God have mercy on him) through his car rigged with explosives.
This followed the end of the routine sweeping of the Turkish armoured vehicles on the 'M4' road and their return to the point of concentration in the 'Jisr al-Shughur' countryside. And we clarify the following:
1. Dozens of the Turkish 'NATO' army were killed and wounded along with their protection from the idolatrous army [translator note: referring to the 'Syrian National Army' supported by Turkey] following the operation- and praise and thanks be to God.
2. The raider is the brother 'Abu Suleiman al-Ansari' (may God have mercy on him) and he conducted the operation in the defined place, and the claim the Turks blew up the car before its arrival is a pure lie.
3. We did not conduct any assault on the Turkish base, and we did not fire one bullet from our side, and the clashes that occurred and continued for around an hour before the brother (may God have mercy on him) carried out his operation were between the idolatrous army and the Turks, and that is when the idolatrous army sent the reinforcements to the point following the carrying out of the operation, so the Turkish soldiers thought that the convoys of inghimasis were assaulting them, so they clashed with them and killed some of them, and praise be to God: 'And no one knows the soldiers of your Lord except Him'- al-Muddathar 31.
'And give them an example of the blind people left alone in darkness and unguided,
So they clashed together with their palms and stick in a strike directing the course of the fighting for a long time,
Until when they got tired of the fighting, you saw them fractured, disemboweled or killed.
And the blind heard from one another until they moved to conciliation, so the screaming increased in lamentation.' [2]
4. We deny what has been spread in rumour that the blessed operation resulted in the killing of some of the Muslim masses, and we make clear that the man who was killed (may God have mercy on him) was killed by the bullets launched by the apostates of the Turks after the brother (may God have mercy on him) carried out the operation, which struck them with a state of great dismay and confusion, which made them fire bullets randomly, targeting all who were surrounding the point from homes and cars.
And further point of information: there are no houses near the targeted point inhabited by the Muslim masses, but rather we- by the grace of God- were keen to choose the appropriate time, indeed when we learnt that a mobile seller of the Muslim masses was coming in his 'Hyundai Porter' car and stopped near the school and did not distance himself from it until the call to al-Maghreb prayer, we did not carry out the operation after dawn prayers.
5. We affirm our complete independence and lack of affiliation to any organisation, group or faction, whether inside or outside al-Sham.
6. There will be issued from the 'squadron'- by the permission of God- a release followed by a statement in which we warn the Muslim masses against approaching the bases of the Turks and their convoys, and that whoso refuses to heed that after the statement will bear the consequences of his refusal.
In conclusion: we affirm our commitment to our jihad and the foundations of our religion and our pledge to fight the one who disbelieves in God and apostasises from His religion and attacks the religion of the Muslims, their blood, honour and lands, until we establish the law of our Lord, or we perish in defence of it on the methodology of al-Siddiq Abu Bakr (may God be pleased with him) in his words: 'Will [the religion] be deficient while I am alive?'; 'By God I will certainly wage jihad against them so long as I hold the sword in my hand'; [4] 'even if there remained no one besides me in the villages.' [5]
'And God is predominant over His affair but most of the people do not know'- Yusuf 21.
Ansar Abu Bakr al-Siddiq Squadron.
Published on Monday 12 Muharram 1442 AH.
[1]- Brought out by al-Bukhari (4/61) with number 3017.
[2]- 'al-Sawa'iq al-Mursala fi al-Radd 'Ala al-Jahamiya wa al-Mu'attala' by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziya (3/981).
[3]- 'Jami' al-Usul fi Ahadith al-Rusul' by Ibn al-Athir (8/605).
[4]- Tarikh al-Khulafa' by al-Suyuti (p. 59).
[5]- Tarikh al-Tabari 3/225.