Latakia Massacres: Rebel Deaths Correlated by Groups

Latakia Massacres: Rebel Deaths Correlated by Groups 
And Overview of the Groups
November 14, (incomplete)
last edits Dec. 3

 "Martyr" "Abo Abdulrahman" from Libya,
Member of ISIS or FSA - lists disagree

Still struggling with my post on ISIS-FSA teamwork, I need some work space for this project to compare rebel deaths recorded in the HRW report (read or download page) compared to entries in the VDC database. A couple of interesting details were emerging, and it deserved a space to see how many more and to compare them.

HRW found 20 opposition groups groups were involved, and I see 17 listed, besides "FSA under Salem Idriss' command," which was claimed to be present but may not have been. Named fighters killed in the operation are provided for most groups.

For the VDC side, first, I'll use the entries collected here at ACLOS, (rebel "martyrs" with martyrdom location: Latakia), and later I'll look for further VDC matches.

I'll also use this a space where all groups can be listed, to provide basic details and some specifics for each.

1 Ahrar al-Sham

-Wikipedia page, as Harakat Ahrar ash-Sham al-Islamiyya (Arabic: حركة أحرار الشام الإسلامية ‎ Ahrār ash-Shām, meaning "Islamic Movement of the Free Men of al-Sham" (greater Syria/Levant) A coalition of Islamist brigades that "cooperates with the Free Syrian Army and other secular rebel groups; however, it does not maintain ties with the Syrian National Council." With a "strict and secretive leadership” and funding from Kuwait, Ahrar al-Sham was a founding and leading member of the Syrian Islamic Front, and was a member of the Turkish-sponsored 2015 Idlib "army of conquest" along with Al-Nusra. HRW heard that Ahrar al-Sham was a leading group in the offensive, and its local leader Abu Taha was deputized with dispersing the funds provided by Suqour al-Izz. They announced their role in “liberating” four villages," (Isterbeh, Nabata, Hamboushia, Abu Makka) and posted video of them breaking into homes in a fifth (Balouta). Ahrar al-Sham initially held no hostages, in September "assumed responsibility for the hostages taken during the offensive," somehow securing their transfer from fellow groups JMA and Daesh (ISIS).
Reuters, Oct. 11 reports a sort of denial from the group: "If someone uses a weapon against you, you have to fight them. If they do not, you must not kill them," and that's it. The unstated half could be that the Alawites raised the sword against them (all Sunnis) so the Alawites have to die. That vague statement was from "Ahrar al-Sham's political office in Raqqa." Raqqa was taken over by Islamists in March, 2013, and then taken by Daesh (ISIS) as their capitol in mid-August, just as this Latakia offensive was ending. So if Ahrar al-Sham had its offices there two months later, it suggests they were working with the Islamic State at that time (the Wikipedia entry doesn't mention any alliance or breaking of it, as it does with the other two).

HRW found "three Moroccan fighters from Ahrar al-Sham that were killed in Esterbeh on August 4." These overflows from "Sham al-ISlam", I'm guessing, are named:

-  Abu Omar al-Maghrabi
= Abu Omar al-Maghrebi, died in "Astrabeh Village" "Rank: FSA"
- Abu Moaz al-Maghrabi 
= Abu Moaz al-Maghrebi, died in Astrabeh Village. Also "FSA"
- Abu Adam al-Maghrabi 
= Abo Adam al-Maghrebi, died in "Astrabeh Village". Also "FSA"

So, Ahrar al-Sham, who cooperates with the FSA (besides with al-Nusra and, in this case at least, with ISIS) but isn't a member or beholden to any of their rules or commands, is listed by the VDC under a simplified "FSA" heading. From this and the rest, it seems "FSA" means against Assad, not ISIS, and not even al-Nusra. Except the one guy that was Nusra and the one that was Daesh ... (see each entry below). Everyone else is under that vague umbrella. Or, considering joint command, etc. ... "FSA" might mean more in this case, like some "free" fighters deputized by agreement just before the deal (who knows?).

Also of note: HRW reports "In one of the videos, lieutenant colonel Hussein al-Harmoush, the brigade commander from Harakat Ahrar al-Sham al-Maghdad al-Aswad battalion, is identified by name and seen shooting in the operation."  That's either a nickname taken in honor of an FSA Godfather, the late Lt. Col. Hussein Harmoush or quite a coincidence.

2 ISIS/Islamic State/Daesh
Should need no introduction... 
four fighters from ISIS killed during the operation:
- Abu Moqatel al-Tunisi (a Tunisian national), killed in Esterbeh on August 4
= Abu Muqatel al-Tunesi From Tunisia. Rank: "Islamic State of Iraq and Sham." Later changed to ISIS. Died in "Astrabeh Village" by Aug. 5.
- Abu A`bed al-Rehman al-Mesra’ni killed in an unidentified location on August 4
=? Abo Abdulrahman al-Libee, from Libya, died in "Lattakia" "Rank: FSA" (photo, dead)
- Hamza al-Shishani (a Chechen)
= no match?
- Abd al-Hakim al-Alaiwi 
=?  Abdul Aziz \ Soud al-Sbaie, from Saudi Arabia. Rank: ISIS. Killed Aug. 4, Lattakia.  Known as (Abdul Hakeem al-Mwahed). photos, alive and dead. 
- no match?
=? Mohammad al-Shahi ISIS, from UAE, killed August 15, doesn't say where
- no match?

3 Jabhat al-Nusra

Al-Qaeda's official affiliate in Syria, identified by HRW as a leading group, involved in hostage-taking, executed captured cleric Badreddin Ghazal. HRW heard about: "three fighters from Jabhat al-Nusra killed on August 4"

- Abu Zabir al-Maghrabi (a Moroccan), killed in Abu Makkeh
= Abu Zubair al-Maghrebi From Morocco. Rank: Jabhat Nusra. Died in "Lattakia: Boumka village" by Aug. 5
- Abu Hamza al-Maghrabi (a Moroccan) killed in Barouda
= Abu Hamze al-Maghrebi, died in 'Lattakia: Baruda' (by Aug. 5) Rank: FSA. (photo, alive)
- Abu Ibrahim al-Libi (a Libyan) killed in Barouda
= Abo Ibrahem al-Lebi From Libya. Rank Jabhat Nusra. Died in "Lattakia: Baruda" by Aug. 5

4 Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (JMA)

JMA commander Abu Suhaib al-Libi (as Identified) w/captives

Wikipedia page - (JMA, Arabic: جيش المهاجرين والأنصار‎ Army of Emigrants and Supporters), formerly known as the Muhajireen Brigade (Katibat al-Muhajireen), " briefly affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), but after changes in leadership it took an increasingly hostile stance against it. In September 2015, JMA pledged allegiance to the Al-Qaeda affiliated Al-Nusra Front."
JMA-Daesh confusion - formally allied at the time, using the same basic flag (their with extra words added, it seems): SOHR Facebook post "Confirmed reports that a Libyan Emir of the ISIS was killed by the al-Hamboshiya clashes ..." HRW heard he was neither ISIS nor killed (see here for details); he's one of two local JMA commanders, both Libyans. Neither is listed as killed. The VDC lists neither as killed. HRW says he was injured twice, and treated in Turkey. They say he "appears to be" the masked man hosting the hostage video uploaded September 7. His co-commander is mentioned by HRW as an apparent overall operation commander:

On August 13, Sheikh Saqr, the commander of Saquor al-Izz, tweeted that Abu Jaafar al-Libi from Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar was the leader of the operation and that his deputies were Abu Jaafar from ISIS (see Section on ISIS above) and Sheikh Qahtan from al-Tawheed.

April, 2013, the HRW report states, they established a “mujahedeen operations room” in Jabal al-Akrad, used it to organize with other extremists, and then had the center used to organize the August operation. The activist HRW spoke to (organized the groups, allied with most) said he first entered the villages later in the day on August 4, and told them “The villages fell so easily that the men were free to roam around and slaughter at their leisure…the Libyans [Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar] did not kill, they slaughtered, even women and elderly.” 

HRW learned of "10 fighters killed from Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar during the operation, many of them Tunisian and Libyan nationals." Note, none has either of Abu Suhaib's given names.
- Abu Rehmat al-Libi was killed on August 4.
= Abo Rahmeh al-Liby died Aug 4, "FSA" (photo, alive) - Commander Abu al-Farouq al-Libi 
= no match?
- Abu Obeida al-Maghrabi were killed on August 14 in Obeen.
= no match
- Abu Youssef al-Ansari 
= no VDC match
- Abu Ashraf al-Tunisi,
= Abo Ashraf al-Tunsee died in "Lattakia" by Aug. 7 (photo) "FSA"
- Abu Abdallah al-Tunisi,
= Abo Abdullah al-Tunsee died in "Lattakia" by Aug. 7 "FSA"
- Abu Trab al-Libi
= no match
- Abu Hazifa al-Libi
= no match
- Abu Hilal al-Libi
= no match 
- Abu Obeida al-Tunisi 
= no match
were also all reportedly killed (date and place of their deaths is unknown)

One of these may = Abo Rahma al-Libee died in "Lattakia" (photo) "FSA" died (by) Aug 7

Note: VDC apparently didn't get direct reports from JMA activists.


5 Suqour al-Izz

Wikipedia as Suqour al-Ezz - - (Arabic: كتيبة صقور العز‎) - primarily Saudi jihadists - initially cooperated with both Daesh and Nusra, rejected the former and merged into Nusra in January, 2014.HRW adds: "Sheikh Saqr, the leader of Suquor al-Izz, seems to identify himself on what is believed to be his Twitter account as the person responsible for the finances for the operation and that Abu Taha from Ahrar al-Sham was his deputy in this regard. The operation was reportedly largely financed by private Gulf based donors."

 

Suquor al-Izz also lists the names of several fighters killed during the Latakia operation between
August 4 and 16.
- Abu Malkat al-Azdi was killed in Esterbeh,
= Abu Malek al-Azdi unknown origin, Rank: Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (originally) Now says rank:FSA. Killed in Astrabeh, by Aug. 5.
- Abu Moaz al-Jezrawi in Barouda, on August 4.
= Abo Mouaz al-Jezrawee From Saudi Arabia. Died in Baruda "Rank: FSA"
- Abu Malek Mohamed Gharam al-Shehri, who is identified as a frontline commander, August 8 
=   no match?
Abu Medawi Yehya al-A`sseiri, August 8 
= Yehya al-Eseiree FSA, foreign (unknown) Aug 8, known as Abo Medawee, during clashes with regime's army
Abu al-Bara’ al-Si`ayri, August 8 
= no match?
Abu Hazem al-Qsseimi, August 8 
= no match
Abu Sleiman al-Tunisi (a Tunisian)  August 8 
= no match
Abed al-Basset al-Tunisi (a Tunisian) August 11
= no match 
Abu Kahled Bandar al-Kahledi on August 16.
= no match 

Note: VDC apparently didn't get direct reports from SaI activists.

6 Ahrar al-Sahel Brigade

(FSA, app. not under Idriss central command) 

An August 12 video shows FSA's chief Salem Idriss visiting "the commander of the Free Syrian Army battalion (brigade) Suquor al-Sahel, Saeed Tarbush, who was injured in the fighting in the villages," declaring "we will do our best to meet the needs of this battle and provide everything we have…" to this group, or someone else they represented? The report says:

The Ahrar al-Sahel Brigade announced its formation on May 23, 2012 as a unit operating under the FSA in Latakia.218 Based on statements made by the leader of the group, Abu Ahmad, the group does not appear to be under the command and control of Salim Idriss.

 This group is the best fit for Idriss-supported or commanded or worth being seen with anyway. They also claim involvement on the 4th in Isterbeh, Abu Makkah, Hamboushia, Beit Shakouhi, via a sub-unit (the Assad Allah Hamza battalion. Abu Talal, reportedly the commander of the Assad Allah Hamza brigade, was reportedly injured while fighting in Esterbeh on the same day. Amer al-Haddad, an al-Hijra ila Allah fighter, was killed there. HRW saw graffiti in Abu Makkeh - on a house “Liwa Tahrir, Ahrar al-Sahel Battalion”

Amer al-Haddad, an al-Hijra ila Allah fighter, killed in Esterbeh
=  Amer Jamal al-Haddad, FSA, age 25, from Syria, actually - Hiffeh, Latakia, so nearby. died in (blank), Aug. 9 from "shelling by regime's army." Photo (alive).

7 Farouq Brigades

This is definitely a unit of FSA, if not under SMC control - Wikipedia states it was founded by a number of Homs based members of the Free Syrian Army mid-2011, including Abdulrazaq Tlass (Houla Massacre, masturbation), and others including Abu Sakkar (genocidal cannibal/scavenger)… powerful in 2012, sliding by mid-2013, defunct in 2014, helped form the Syrian Islamic Liberation Front along the way. Wikipedia says Farouq is Part of: Free Syrian Army, Syrian Islamic Liberation Front (2012-2013), but HRW's report said "It is not known whether the Independent Omar al-Farouq Brigade operates within the command structure of the Free Syrian Army". … at any rate, involvement here is not very clear: a September 21 video "shows al-Farouq Brigade fighters film the destruction in Barouda and Talla from afar pointing out the locations of the Syrian army. Graffiti referencing the al-Farouq brigade was also left in Abu Makkeh." No deaths mentioned. 

8 The Hassan al-Azhari Battalion

Led by "Abu Taha from Latakia," HRW reported, this battalionand "posted on their Facebook page that they liberated Nbeiteh village and that the fighters were on their way to take control of the Barouda tower."

An "opposition activist" told HRW “Abu Taha protected Alawite women from the foreigners [other fighters] who wanted to kill them.” 

fighters from their unit who died during the operation including
- Ahmad Khaled Khlou (killed in Abu Makkeh on August 6)
= no VDC match?
- Abo Mosaab (killed in Abu Makkeh, date unknown but announcement posted on August 6).
=  no VDC match?

9 The Heroes of Khirbet al-Jawz and the Oussama Bin Zeid Battalion (sub-unit)
(FSA, app. not under Idriss central command, graffiti in Hamoushiya proclaims their approval of a "genocide against the Alawites") No deaths listed.


10 Saif Allah al-Masloul, al-Ansar

HRW reports this group bragged on the 7^th how on “August 5 they raided Blouta killing all the shabiha” (a day late?) A video shows them raiding Abu Makkah on the 5^th.” They claim to part of “Al-Ansar.” Little else seems to be known. They report fighterAmmar Mustafa Mo`mari was also reportedly injured during the offensive on Abu Makkeh and died from his injuries on August 7.

= Ammar Moustafa Meaamaree FSA, died in Lattakia: Boumka village by the 7th.

11 Sham al-Islam (HSI)

A very intriguing group, apparently heavily involved - Harakat Sham al-Islam (HSI - Wikipedia article) (Arabic: حركة شام الإسلام‎, meaning "Islamic Movement of the Levant") is composed of primarily Moroccans. On 25 July 2014 that it became part of the Jabhat Ansar al-Din, which claimed neutrality in the conflict between ISIS and other groups (Syria Comment) HSI was involved in the 2014 Latakia offensive (late March) and then designated as a terrorist organization by the US State Department on 24 September 2014. On 23 September, 2015 Jabhat Ansar al-Din almost marked the anniversary of that by formally joining with al-Nusra, who claim to oppose Daesh. 
The WP states "The group was founded in August 2013 by three Moroccan detainees who had been released from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Ibrahim bin Shakran, Ahmed Mizouz and Mohammed AlamiHarakat Sham al-Islam first came to notice because of the role it played in the 2013 Latakia offensive," which was about the same time it first appeared. In fact, HRW (who gives another name for the leader, Abu Ahmad al-Muhajir, Moroccan and former Guantanamo Bay detainee) makes it sound like they were an informal group not yet announced at the time; HSI's formation was only announced publicly with a Youtube video on August 18, it says, as the operation in Latakia ended – waiting to see if any of them survived? Tamimi agrees: they emerged in "mid-August") (also notes "Mohammed al-'Alami, using the name Abu Hamza al-Maghrebi" and "Ibrahim bin Shakaran as its leader, who is known in Syria as Abu Ahmad al-Muhajir" - confusion resolved)

Their reported dead:
- Abu Hamza al-Maghribi (a Moroccan, via Guantánamo Bay), one of the group’s generals, was killed on August 4 in Barouda
= Abu Hamze al-Maghrebi, died in 'Lattakia: Baruda' (by Aug. 5) Rank: FSA
Zein al-`Abedine, a Sham al-Islam fighter as having been killed in Kindah on August 4.
= Zain al-Abden al-Maghrebi died in "Lattakia: Kinda village" Rank:FSA
Three Sham al-Islam fighters also died in Esterbeh on August 4
= ?? (unclaimed foreign FSA entries - any Moroccans left? yep)
=?  Nibras al-Maghrabee Morocco, "FSA" on or before Aug 7 (photo, dead)
= other 2, possibly listed, also as FSA, maybe even Syrian. 

Further, all 3 Ahrar al-Sham fighters, killed on the first day, were Moroccans - likely overflow from this group, loaned out. But note, VDC got all 6 Moroccans with both groups listed.
 
12 Al-Tawhid/Sheikh Qahtan Battalion

HRW: "The Sheikh Qahtan Battalion, formerly al-Tawhid (distinct from the FSA group)," operates "under the umbrella of Ansar al-Sham, a member of the Syrian Islamic Front." They were seen firing rockets on Barouda, and left tags in Aubin (Obeen). This groups started the Latakia offensive named Tawhid, but was renamed after "Sheikh Qahtan Haj Mohamed, a Syrian from Haffeh in Latakia, a deputy commander of the operation, was killed" They immediately renamed it after him. This = VDC's Qahtan Haj Mohammad from Syria, Hiffeh. Rank: "FSA." "Brigadier Leader," died Aug 4, location blank (photo, shown at right). HRW reports ''On August 13, Sheikh Saqr, the commander of Saquor al-Izz, tweeted that Abu Jaafar al-Libi from Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar was the leader of the operation and that his deputies were Abu Jaafar from ISIS and Sheikh Qahtan from al-Tawhid." This guy was chosen alongside an ISIS commander by the Daesh-affiliated operation leader, for a bit of local flavor.

The rest - Suqour al-Sham (FSA, non-command), Sons of al-Qadisiyya (FSA funding cooperation), Thuwar al-Haffeh, Ibrahim Khalil, Al-Shaheed Sino Rebels Battalion (small local groups) - have no mention of deaths.

13 Sons of al-Qadisiyya

This was formed around Feb. 2013, as “one branch of the “Civilian Protection Commission” in Latakia and its Countryside ... composed of various battalions including al-Farouq and al-Ansar” with a mission is to link the brigades with financial supporters and donors in coordination with the Free Syrian Army abroad.” In a video from August 5 or earlier, Sons of al-Qadisiyya fighters launch three grad missiles at some of the targeted villages. 

14 Suqour al-Sham

Associated with Jabhat Tahrir Suriya. A video “shows Suquor al-Sham clashing

with the Syrian army during the offense on Barouda tower on August 4,” and “graffiti identifying Suquor al-Sham was also left in Obeen village.”

15/16/17 Thuwar al-Haffeh, Ibrahim Khalil, Al-Shaheed Sino Rebels Battalion

These last three are implicated by graffiti, with limited background information, and no specifics on anything but where their graffiti was seen. As the report explains, Thuwar al-Haffeh (revolutionaries of Haffeh, a nearby city) marked a spot in Abu Makkeh, Ibrahim Khalil and his soldiers, in the Sleibeh al-Hamboushieh hamlet, and the al-Shaheed Sino Rebels Battalion in Abu Makkeh. Sino probably doesn't mean Chinese, but Hsino, as labeled on Wikimapia - a town near Salma.

---
18 Front for Authenticity and Development 

The Front for Authenticity and Development (FAD) or Authenticity and Development Front is a U.S.-backed, Saudi-funded, "moderate Islamist" force, using FSA colors and cooperating with them, but not a part of FSA or answerable to the SNC. Co-founded in 2011 by defectors including Farouq's Abdulrazaq Tlass, they maintain a low profile, appearing neither secular nor overtly jihadist. They have controlled territory, if limited to sectors of some cities and no swathes of land (once with sectors of Aleppo, Deraa, and Douma, decreasing from there, but in 2015 granted a prized share in Jis al-Shughour).

Graffiti implicates them, but the HRW report doesn't mention it. They cite a video from August 9 (still available) supposedly showing FSA fighters, as the title says. But the alternating corner stamps says FAD and someone else (unclear) jointly produced the video (among others from the offensive). And the graffiti at their checkpoint says this:

Which we had translated:

Top, easy: Allah Akbar
الله أكبر

Line 2 first half: first brigade
اللواء الأول  
Line 2, second half: an unclear symbol, then "western front"
 الجبهة الغربية

line 3 "belonging to Authenticity and Development Front. (or Front for... FAD)
التابع لجبهة الأصالة والتنمية

"Western front" is probably a unit invented just for this for this joint foray.

The graffiti was seen in a video of theirs, on the wall of a checkpoint at the entrance to the village of Kharata, population 37, suggesting they were in charge there at filming time anyway, which was not very early – the 9th. Other videos, will take more analysis. Some reports (like HRW's) don't mention fatalities there at all, but some say everyone in Kharata died, or only 10 survived.

--- VDC's "FSA," 
Foreign (not listed above)

Kuwait

• Naser al-Dosaree Died in "Latakia"

Qatar

• Moustafa al-Batarnee from Qatar, a Doctor with FSA, age 20, died in "Lattakia"

 

Saudi Arabia

• Mohammad Fahd al-Saied Lattakia, FSA, Aug, 4, Known as (Abo Moaz), documented on 21-6-2014
• Ayoub Mohammad al-Dwaish Lattakia, FSA, Ayg. 4 Known as (Abo Mohammad al-Sbaiei), Documented on 21-4-2014 

Unknown

• Abo Asid died in Lattakia: Hambosheih village by Aug 7
• Abo Hamza al-Zaqawee died in "Lattakia" (updated to Muaz Omar Husain Zakarne, Palestinian via Jordan, photos, engineering student, died by Aug 7 in "Salma," - no HRW mention

"FSA" Syrian
(partial list from ACLOS page - will see if report lists any)

• Abo al-Moughira location blank, Aug. 4 (photo)
• Anas Sheikhani Mount Kurds: Doreen, Aug 4 Video - oddly dramatic, filmed by a dead man. Or fake? Is that supposed to be the camera of Iehab dahou, from the Salma Media center, who is listed as getting shot Aug. 4 in Salma? (will be added somewhere above, later) Wasn't this right at the start of an optional surprise offensive? They make it look like some grim and desperate last stand.
• Ahd Tarboosh, only listed local martyr Aug. 5, from"Hiffeh: Defil" died in Astrebeh (Isterbeh). Has video. (add: May be related to "commander of the Free Syrian Army battalion (brigade) Suquor al-Sahel, Saeed Tarbush, who was injured in the fighting in the village," paid a visit by Salem Idriss, under whose command the battalion did not seem to be, HRW found. Had another fighter die in the same village Aug 9) 
• Haj Asaad Died Lattakia: Mount Kurds Aug 6
• Malek As'ad Lattakia: Mount Kurds, not actually on the list, with death date 00-00-00, but by index number was reported right after the last, app. related martyr...)
• Unidentified, but from Hiffeh. Died Aug. 6 Astrabeh Village

On the 6th, rebels were killed in two areas as government forces pushed back - Astrabeh Village (Isterbeh - several killed) and Kafraya (two killed). Daily deaths (a few) continued until about the 10th, increasingly by shelling, and increasingly back towards the rebel base town of Salma. For example Amer Jamal al-Haddad, age 25, from Hiffeh, died (blank), Aug. 9 by "shelling by regime's army." Local Syrians stopped dying, by the list, about August 10, and non-locals (mostly from Idlib) took over the dying from there, a few a day on average up to about the 20th. Some examples:

• Abo Maweah al-Hamwi From Hama, died Aug 13.
• Amjad Haj Jomea From Khan Subul Idlib, died Aug 17, Documented on 08/25/2013
• Amjad Shareef al-Halaq from Saraqib Idlib, died Aug 18, by shelling