Al-Nusra Front

**al-Nusra Front** or **Jabhat al-Nusra** (), known as **Jabhat Fatah al-Sham** () is one of the organizations fighting in the Syrian Civil War. Since July 2016, it has also been known as  **Jabhat Fateh al-Sham** (, transliteration: _Jabhat Fataḥ al-Šām_). It has also been called **al-Qaeda in Syria** or **al-Qaeda in the Levant**. They are a Salafist organization and want to create an Islamic state in the country.

The group announced its formation on 23 January 2012. The United States designated Jabhat al-Nusra as a foreign terrorist organization, followed by the United Nations Security Council and many other countries. It was the official Syrian branch of al-Qaeda until July 2016, when it became a separate organization. In early 2015, the group became one of the major components of the powerful jihadist joint operations room named the Army of Conquest, which took over large territories in Northwestern Syria. It also operates in neighbouring Lebanon. In November 2012, _The Washington Post_ described al-Nusra as the most successful arm of the rebel forces.

In July 2016, al-Nusra formally separated from al-Qaeda and re-branded as Jabhat Fateh al-Sham ("Front for the Conquest of the Levant").

On 28 January 2017, following violent clashes with Ahrar al-Sham and other rebel groups, Jabhat Fateh al-Sham merged with four other groups to become Tahrir al-Sham.

According to spokesmen of a moderate wing of the Free Syrian Army (FSA),  in November 2012 Nusra had between 6,000 and 10,000 fighters, which was 7–9% of the FSA's total fighters. Commentator David Ignatius for _The Washington Post_ described Nusra then as the most aggressive and successful arm of the FSA. The United States Department of State stated likewise: "From the reports we get from the doctors, most of the injured and dead FSA are Jabhat al-Nusra, due to their courage and [the fact they are] always at the front line". On 10 December 2012, the U.S. designated Nusra a foreign terrorist organization and an alias of Al Qaeda in Iraq. That decision made it illegal for Americans to deal financially with Nusra. Days earlier, the American ambassador to Syria, R. Ford, had said: "Extremist groups like Jabhat al-Nusra are a problem, an obstacle to finding the political solution that Syria's going to need".

## Infobox (war faction)

- **name**: al-Nusra Front
- **native name**: جَبْهَةُ النُّصْرَةِ
- **native name lang**: ar
- **war**: the Syrian Civil War and the
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon
- **image**: Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg
- **caption**: Flag of the al-Nusra Front <small>(January 2012–July 2016)</small>
- **active**: 23 January 2012 – 28 January 2017
- **ideology**: Salafism
* Wahhabism
* Salafist jihadism<small> (a form of Islamic fundamentalism)</small>
- **clans**: _See Tahrir al-Sham#Member groups, al-Nusra member groups_
- **leaders**: Abu Mohammad al-Julani <small>(top emir)</small>
 Abu Abdullah al-Shami <small>(senior member)</small>
 Ahmad Salama Mabruk <small>(senior member)</small>
Abu Hajer al-Homsi <small>(top military commander)</small>
Abu Omar al-Turkistani <small>(top military commander)</small>
- **headquarters**: * Deir ez-Zor, Deir ez-Zor Governorate, <small>(2012–14)</small>
* Harem, Syria, Harem, Idlib Governorate, <small>(February–November 2014)</small>
* Salqin, Idlib Governorate, <small>(November 2014 – March 2015)</small>
* Idlib, Idlib Governorate, Syria <small>(March 2015 – January 2017)</small>
- **area**: <small>(Primarily in Northwest Syria, around the Idlib and Aleppo Provinces)</small>
<small>(2013-2017)</small>
- **strength**: 10,000–20,000
- **partof**: al-Qaeda
Mujahideen Shura Council (Syria), Mujahideen Shura Council
Army of Conquest
- **previous**: Islamic State of Iraq
- **next**:  Tahrir al-Sham, Hayyat Tahrir al-Sham
- **allies**: **State allies**
*
**Non-state allies**
*  (until 2017)
* Jund al-Aqsa
*  Turkistan Islamic Party
*  Caucasus Emirate
*  Ajnad al-Kavkaz
* Malhama Tactical
* Ashida'a Mujahideen Brigade
* Ansar al-Din Front
*  Ansar al-Islam
*  Free Syrian Army (2012-13)
 Islamic State of Iraq (2012
–2013)
- **opponents**: **State opponents**
*
*
*
*
*
**Non-state opponents**
* Syrian Democratic Forces
**  People's Protection Units
**  Army of Revolutionaries
*  Free Syrian Army (present)
*  Ahrar al-Sham
* Suqour al-Sham Brigade
**Shi'ite groups**
*  Hezbollah
* Kata'ib Hezbollah
* Asa'ib Ahl al-Haq
* Al-Abbas brigade
* Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
*  Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba
*
**Islamic State and Islamic State affiliates**
*  Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
** Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade
**  Jaysh al-Jihad
** Islamic Muthanna Movement
- **battles**: **Syrian Civil War**
* Battle of Aleppo (2012–16)
* Siege of Nubl and Al-Zahraa
* Operation al-Shabah
* 2013 Latakia offensive
* Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War
* 2014 Idlib offensive
* al-Nusra Front–Syria Revolutionaries Front conflict
* 2015 Idlib offensive
** Second Battle of Idlib
* Siege of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya
* Battle of Bosra (2015)
* 2015 Jisr al-Shughur offensive
* Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015)
* Qalamoun offensive (May 2015)
* Battle of Zabadani (2015)
* 2015 Hama Offensive
* Northern Aleppo offensive (2016)
* Idlib Governorate clashes (2017)
Syrian Civil War spillover in Lebanon
* Battle of Arsal (2014)
Military intervention against ISIL
* American-led intervention in Syria
* Russian military intervention in Syria