Since mid-August 2013, LAAG began to actively fight for the Syrian government against various Syrian opposition groups. In this capacity, it originally operated almost exclusively in the Rif Dimashq Governorate, notably participating in the Rif Dimashq offensive (March–August 2013) and the Battle of Al-Malihah. This changed after June 2014, when ISIL conquered Mosul, as LAAG set up an Iraq branch, named "Kata'ib Assad Allah al-Ghalib" and led by Sayyid Abu Ghayth al-