Has anyone ever hear about this Northern Storm Brigade before?
SYRIA: THE NORTHERN STORM BRIGADE: ITS HISTORY, CURRENT STATUS AND WHY IT MATTERS ANALYSIS
MARCH 20, 2014 SYRIA COMMENT
By Chris Looney
The Northern Storm Brigade (NSB: Arabic Liwa Asifat al-Shamal) has been called many things since it was first formed in the early days of the uprisings in Syria. For some, it is a part of a contingent of secular FSA groups that represent the bestchance for the West to counter the Islamification of the revolution. For others, it is a brigade of opportunists smugglers and kidnappers with an ill-defined agenda willing torevise their ideology in order to maintain their influence and power.
In reality, the NSB is all of the above. In many ways, its story mirrors the story of the revolution; early on it was unable to coordinate effectively with other rebel groups or to secure significant western support, and later its downfall at the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) foreshadowed the expanding role of extremists in the conflict. Because of these parallels, the NSB is to some extent a microcosm of the revolution, making its story essential for a thorough understanding of the war.
The Formation of the NSB and the Liberation of Azaz
The NSB was formed midway through 2011 in Azaz, a town in northern Aleppo right across the border from the Turkish city of Kilis. Strategically, this area was very important because of the Bab al-Salam border crossing, one of the main conduits for goods and people flowing into Syria. According to one founding member present at the initial meeting, the group rallied unanimously around Ammar Dadikhi, known to his followers as Abu Ibrahim.
Continue reading at:
Syria: The Northern Storm Brigade: It?s History, Current Status And Why It Matters ? Analysis | Eurasia Review
SYRIA: THE NORTHERN STORM BRIGADE: ITS HISTORY, CURRENT STATUS AND WHY IT MATTERS ANALYSIS
MARCH 20, 2014 SYRIA COMMENT
By Chris Looney
The Northern Storm Brigade (NSB: Arabic Liwa Asifat al-Shamal) has been called many things since it was first formed in the early days of the uprisings in Syria. For some, it is a part of a contingent of secular FSA groups that represent the bestchance for the West to counter the Islamification of the revolution. For others, it is a brigade of opportunists smugglers and kidnappers with an ill-defined agenda willing torevise their ideology in order to maintain their influence and power.
In reality, the NSB is all of the above. In many ways, its story mirrors the story of the revolution; early on it was unable to coordinate effectively with other rebel groups or to secure significant western support, and later its downfall at the hands of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) foreshadowed the expanding role of extremists in the conflict. Because of these parallels, the NSB is to some extent a microcosm of the revolution, making its story essential for a thorough understanding of the war.
The Formation of the NSB and the Liberation of Azaz
The NSB was formed midway through 2011 in Azaz, a town in northern Aleppo right across the border from the Turkish city of Kilis. Strategically, this area was very important because of the Bab al-Salam border crossing, one of the main conduits for goods and people flowing into Syria. According to one founding member present at the initial meeting, the group rallied unanimously around Ammar Dadikhi, known to his followers as Abu Ibrahim.
Continue reading at:
Syria: The Northern Storm Brigade: It?s History, Current Status And Why It Matters ? Analysis | Eurasia Review
