The Daily Journalist.
Alloush Zahran, head of Jaysh al Islam [Army of Islam], one of the most powerful rebel groups in the suburbs of Damascus, died Friday in an air strike that targeted its headquarters as confirmed by rebel sources. They have blamed “Russian planes” of the operation.
With the disposal of this Islamist leader, enemy of Syrian President Bashar Assad, and the Islamic State (IS) the UN passed a resolution to boot the negotiations of the peace process in Syria.
It is still not entirely clear who can sit at that table. Damascus and Moscow cooperate in the field of battle by attacking Syrian fighters, as Zahran Aloush represent a harsh version of Islam but at the same time fighting the IS. Moscow has submitted a list of armed groups classified as terrorists. And Jaysh al Islam is in it.
The Syrian army has confirmed the news of the death of Aloush. According to state television, his body and the other leaders were buried by debris. Up to 10 rockets have been fired while the heads of Jaysh al Islam had gathered, according to Al Arabiya television.
The lieutenant Aloush has also been killed. Both poses a threat especially for Bashar Assad, and hence a problem for Moscow, trying to create a margin as wide as possible for the Syrian government when negotiating.
In February, the Jaysh al Islam militants fired 40 rockets at civilian houses in Damascus in a massive attack. Dozens injured and caused at least three deaths among the civilian population. That attack was in retaliation for the bombing of Syrian aviation against Ghouta district, which includes an important agricultural area near the capital and was received in August 2013 Assad chemical attack.
Moscow began its air strikes in Syria in late September. It says its goal is the Islamic State, but during this time various rebel figures have been eliminated.
Although there was no confirmation from Moscow, the Syrian opposition yesterday accused “Russian planes” of the killings. This airstrike in Ghuta, which is precisely an area that was taken from the IS by Jaysh al Islam fighters.
Jaysh al Islam is composed of tens of thousands of fighters, though not part of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), the entity that includes the varied forces fighting Assad loyalists. With good connections to Riyadh, Jaysh al Islam participated earlier this month at a meeting organized by Saudi Arabia to agree a common position to negotiate with Assad. The armed factions as Ahrar al-Sham and Jaish al Islam is showed how divided the opposition really is.
Jaysh al Islam has been accused of using comparable to the Islamic state methods, such as public executions. In several similar propaganda materials as IS videos, Alloush called to “cleanse” the country of -the group Asad- Alawites and Shiites.
Jaysh al Islam also referred to the Al Nusra Front fighters as “our brothers”, adding that “they are fighting on our side.”
Although it is in the crosshairs of IS, Al Qaeda and the secular opposition, today Jaysh al Islam is one of the strongest rebel groups, both the number of fighters and its organization. In fact it has managed to create a genuine administrative structure Ghuta East.
Moscow criticizes that under these militant groups are plotting terrorist networks routes to get the precious Syrian oil towards Turkey are hidden. “They change routes to avoid our aircraft,” said Friday the Russian General Sergei Rudskoi, head of the Operations Department, which believes that the intervention of Moscow is pushing back the terrorists.
IS fighters and other groups have begun delivery of heavy weapons to the Syrian army in the Palestinian refugee camp of Yarmuk, south of Damascus, according to RIA Novosti reported a military source.
