# Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria

The Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria (TIP) was the Syrian branch of the Turkistan Islamic Party, an armed Uyghur Jihadist group with a presence in the Syrian Civil War. While the TIP has been active in Syria, the organization's core leadership was based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a presence in its home territory of China.
At the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference, which was held on 29 January 2025, most factions of the armed opposition, including the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, announced their dissolution and were incorporated into the newly formed Ministry of Defense.

## History

TIP (ETIM) sent the "Turkistan Brigade" (Katibat Turkistani), also known as the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria to take part in the Syrian Civil War, most noticeably in the 2015 Jisr al-Shughur offensive. Long War Journal reported in 2015 that Turkistan Islamic Party, alongside other foreign fighters like Chechens and Uzbek militants, had ties to Al-Qaeda network.
In Jisr al-Shughur a Church's cross had a TIP flag placed on top of it after the end of the battle as a victory mark. The Uzbek group Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad (Tavhid va Jihod katibasi) released a video featuring themselves and the Uyghur Turkistan Islamic Party attacking and desecrating Christian Churches in Jisr al-Shughur. Jabhat al Nusra and Turkistan Islamic Party fighters were accused of displacing Christian residents of rural Jisr al-Shughour, and reportedly killed a Syrian Christian man along with his wife, accusing them of being Syrian government agents. The Saudi news agency Al-Arabiya said that the area was Alawite.
Turkistan Islamic Party has exploited the Turkish Postal Service and Turkish banks to solicit donations via the organization "Türkistan İslam Derneği" through the website "Doğu Türkistan Bülteni".

### Fall of Assad regime

The group participated in the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives which culminated in the Fall of the Assad regime. Shortly afterwards, the group uploaded a video stating:
   Now here in Syria, in all the cities here, we fight for Allah, and we will continue to do this in our Urumchi, Aqsu and Kashgar in the future. We will chase the Chinese infidels away
At the same time the group uploaded a video with their leader, Abu Muhammed alongside their battalion, using the blue flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party, instead of the black flag the group had previously been using. TIP fighters entered the strategic port cities of Latakia and Tartus on 10 and 11 December. The TIP has promised that now that the Syrian Civil War is over, that they will focus on fighting the Chinese government.
At the event on 29 January 2025 declaring the victory of the Syrian revolution, most factions of the armed opposition including the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria announced their dissolution and were incorporated into the newly formed Ministry of Defense.

## Child soldiers

Camps training children for Jihad were being run by the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria. Uyghur child soldiers being instructed in Sharia and training with guns were depicted in a video released by TIP.

## Route into Syria

According to the Jamestown Foundation, Turkish connections were used by Uyghur fighters to go into Syria and the humanitarian Uyghur East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association (ETESA) which was located in Turkey sent Uyghurs into Syria, endorsed the killing of the pro-China Imam Juma Tayir, applauded attacks in China, and posted on its website content from the TIP.
Its top commander Abu Omar al-Turkistani who also served as the group's first overall leader was killed in an American drone strike in Sarmada, Idlib on 1 January 2017. His replacement leader Abu Rida al-Turkistani was then killed in a series of Russian airstrikes on his home near the town of Ariha on 12 January 2017 leaving his entire family dead as well. Ibrahim Mansour succeeded Abu Rida al-Turkistani as the third leader of TIP since then.