THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS REGIONAL EFFECTS

Recommendations

Info

20 n THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA Following Fadlallah’s death, Hezbollah recast him as a lower-ranking religious leader completely in line with the group’s leadership and, by extension, that of Iran. Thus, Iran’s campaign to promote its interests in the Syrian conflict continues in the tradition of identifying and co-opting seemingly “weak links,” while boosting more supportive nearby figures in their stead.
4 Building an Army for Zainab REPRESENTING THE MOST dynamic and among the most numerous contingents of Shiite foreign fighters, Iraqi units have helped create a bulwark for the Assad regime. Along with Hezbollah, Iraqi Shiite jihadists have formed the core Iranian proxy units sent to Syria. Iraqi Shiite fighters have been organized into many, often overlapping groups, the first and best known belonging to what could be called the LAFA- Syria network. Militias emerging from this network have often assumed their own independent profiles. With leadership and recruitment apparatuses based in either Iraq or Syria—or at times both—these groups’ efforts have focused on Syria, often ostensibly on the defense of Sayyeda Zainab. Many of these militias, established initially by the Assad regime as Popular Committees, were later re-formed and trained by Iranian and Hezbollah forces, as happened with the creation of the National Defense Forces (NDF) from smaller regional pro-Assad militias. 132 Regularly, advisors from Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran’s IRGC were also attached to these units and allowed to influence the groups’ military and ideological development. (See appendix 1 for a chart on phases of Shiite militia development.) Understanding the LAFA-Syria Network and Its Commanders The name LAFA has become synonymous with the Shiite jihad in Syria. Recognizing LAFA’s successful “brand,” many groups, including AAH, Hezbollah, and Saraya Talia al-Khurasani, have proclaimed their fighters’ joint membership with the network. 133 Initially, LAFA was formed like most Popular Committees (lijan alshabiya), using a core of Shiite fighters based around the Sayyeda Zainab shrine. Its inception likely dates to late summer or early fall 2012, when 21
Page 1 and 2: THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS R
Page 3 and 4: POLICY FOCUS 138 THE SHIITE JIHAD I
Page 5 and 6: C ONTENTS Acronyms | iv 1 Introduct
Page 7 and 8: 1 Introduction THE SYRIAN CIVIL WAR
Page 9 and 10: 2 The Narrative of Jihad SINCE THE
Page 11 and 12: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 5 a useful
Page 13 and 14: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 7 An Open
Page 15 and 16: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 9 al-Amin,
Page 17 and 18: THE NARRATIVE OF JIHAD n 11 In a Fe
Page 19 and 20: 3 Call to Jihad: Clerical Views of
Page 21 and 22: CALL TO JIHAD n 15 During his publi
Page 23 and 24: CALL TO JIHAD n 17 direct Iranian m
Page 25: CALL TO JIHAD n 19 al-Sadr contradi
Page 29 and 30: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 23 mi
Page 31 and 32: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 25 re
Page 33 and 34: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 27 Re
Page 35 and 36: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 29 me
Page 37 and 38: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 31 tr
Page 39 and 40: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 33 PH
Page 41 and 42: BUILDING AN ARMY FOR ZAINAB n 35 Th
Page 43 and 44: 5 The Web of Multiplying Shiite Isl
Page 45 and 46: MULTIPLYING SHIITE ISLAMIST MILITIA
Page 55 and 56: JOINING OF FRONTS n 49 In Iraq, att
Page 57 and 58: JOINING OF FRONTS n 51 members. 262
Page 59 and 60: JOINING OF FRONTS n 53 Darraji’s
Page 61 and 62: 7 Policy Recommendations AS THE UNI
Page 63 and 64: POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS n 57 such na
Page 65 and 66: NOTES AND SOURCES n 59 Revolutionar
Page 67 and 68: NOTES AND SOURCES n 61 33. Hassan H
Page 69 and 70: NOTES AND SOURCES n 63 June 15, 200
Page 71 and 72: NOTES AND SOURCES n 65 79. Ibid. 80
Page 73 and 74: NOTES AND SOURCES n 67 110. “Sama
Page 75 and 76: NOTES AND SOURCES n 69 137. Mamuri
Page 77 and 78:
NOTES AND SOURCES n 71 172. May 16,
Page 79 and 80:
NOTES AND SOURCES n 73 205. Michael
Page 81 and 82:
NOTES AND SOURCES n 75 233. Jacob Z
Page 83 and 84:
NOTES AND SOURCES n 77 com/63568782
Page 85 and 86:
NOTES AND SOURCES n 79 294. “Al-M
Page 87 and 88:
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Richar
show all

THE SHIITE JIHAD IN SYRIA AND ITS REGIONAL EFFECTS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?