HOMO JIHADICUS

Yarmuk). Despite Omar Shishani being IS’s military commander for northern
Syria, and the post-Soviet militants being more active than the rest, they do
not have much influence on how Islamic State’s policy is formed, and none of
their leaders (including Omar Shishani) are present in IS’s shura (council) 153 .
The groups aligned with Jabhat al-Nusra, operating mainly in north-western
Syria (Aleppo, Latakia and Idlib governorates), are more independent and distinct
from their patron. The largest of these groups is the Army of Emigrants
and Supporters and Junud al-Sham.
Both the groups operating under the patronage of IS and those under al-Nusra
are active in recruiting new volunteers, propaganda efforts, and combat actions
in the areas chosen by patron organisation, and – in some cases – the
management of territory controlled in Syria (more in chapter IV).
The second important mechanism, present in almost all groups regardless of
their actual importance and strength, is that they undertaking actions aimed
at stressing their individuality and independence in relation to the other militant
groups and patron organisations. This is especially visible in the information
and propaganda dimensions. These actions are caused first of all by the
need to secure the group’s position inside the local power balance, which in
return translates to the influx of volunteers, financing, the share in the spoils
of war etc. Besides propaganda, it also shows itself in the rivalry between particular
groups and leaders, in occurrences of their insubordination and when
they exaggerate their strength and achievements (for example when one
group/leader claims success in a battle when several groups took part in it).
PRACE OSW REPORT OSW 09/2012 09/2015
Thirdly, a characteristic feature of jihad in Syria (to a much lesser extent
than in Iraq) is the constant rivalry, tensions, and often even clashes between
various militant groups, caused by ideological, theological and political disputes
(for example the issue of the validity of Islamic State’s proclamation of
the Caliphate), as well as personal conflicts, fighting over spheres of influence
etc. Examples of these conflicts include tensions between Islamic State
and Jabhat al-Nusra, as well as between the latter and the Free Syrian Army.
Post-Soviet militants, who are either spread across various factions or form
groups of their own, naturally participate in the above tensions (especially
militants from Caucasus). This also leads to conflicts between them (for example
between Omar Shishani’s group within Islamic State and the Jaish Ansar
153
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