Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas

(Redirected from Al-Abbas brigade) Syrian Shia militia Not to be confused with Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Forces.

Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas لواء أبو الفضل العباس
Logo Former shoulder sleeve insignia Ceremonial flag
Leaders	Abu Ajeeb (Secretary General) Abu Hajar (Brigade Commander) (WIA)
Dates of operation	2012–2024
Group(s)	Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham
Active regions	Syria Rif Dimashq Governorate Aleppo Governorate
Ideology	Shia Islamism Anti-Zionism
Size	10,000+
Allies	Iran Ba'athist Syria (until 2024) National Defense Force (until 2024) Hezbollah Iraqi Armed Forces LAAG Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas Forces Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada
Opponents	Free Syrian Army Islamic Front Al-Nusra Front Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and wars	Iraqi insurgency Syrian civil war Rif Dimashq offensive (November 2012–February 2013) Damascus offensive Rif Dimashq offensive (March–August 2013) Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015) 2018 Southern Syria offensive War in Iraq (2013-2017) 2023 American–Middle East conflict
Designated as a terrorist group by	United Arab Emirates

The Brigade of Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas (Arabic: لواء أبو الفضل العباس, lit. ''Liwa Abu al-Fadl al-Abbas''), also known as the al-Abbas Brigade (Arabic: كتائب العباس, lit. ''Kata'ib al-Abbas''), was a Syrian Twelver Shia Muslim militia that fought for Ba'athist Syria prior to the collapse of the Assad regime. It was named after the nickname of Al-Abbas ibn Ali, son of Imam Ali

The group was formed in late 2012 to defend the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque and other Shia holy sites in Syria. It rose in prominence in reaction to the desecration of various shrines, heritage sites, and places of worship by Syrian rebels during the Syrian civil war, and subsequently collaborated with the Syrian Army. Its fighters include Shia Damascenes, Damascus-based Shia Iraqi refugees, and foreign Shia volunteers, mostly from Iraq. It fought primarily around Damascus, but fought in Aleppo as well.

In May and June 2013, Reuters reported a split had developed within the brigade over finances and leadership which led to violence. Many non-Syrian members subsequently formed a different brigade.

On 19 May 2014, fighters from the Nour al-Din al-Zanki Brigade claimed to have taken over the al-Abbas Brigade's regional headquarters in Aleppo.

As the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant made significant gains in Iraq in mid-2014, many its Iraqi members returned home to defend the faltering government in Baghdad. The al-Abbas Bridge took part in the 2018 Southern Syria offensive in support of government troops.

References

ZAYNAB’S GUARDIANS: THE EMERGENCE OF SHI`A MILITIAS IN SYRIA Archived 2017-10-11 at the Wayback Machine Christopher Anzalone, Combating Terrorism Center, July 23, 2013
"How Iran Is Building Its Syrian Hezbollah". www.washingtoninstitute.org. Archived from the original on 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
^ "Syrian war widens Sunni-Shia schism as foreign jihadis join fight for shrines". The Guardian. 4 June 2013. Archived from the original on 4 June 2013. Retrieved 18 September 2013.
^ "Shia militia arrive to defend shrines". CNN. 2 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
Phillip Smyth (8 March 2016). "How Iran Is Building Its Syrian Hezbollah". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Archived from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
"الأمين العام للواء "أبو الفضل العباس": مازلنا نقاتل بسورية | السورية نت | Alsouria.net". Archived from the original on 2019-10-12. Retrieved 2020-03-16.
"Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada | Mapping Militant Organizations". web.stanford.edu. Archived from the original on 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2021-09-18.
"NGO: Fierce clashes in Damascus district". AFP. 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 3 January 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
"WATCH: Iranian militia leader appears in video in Daraa". Al Arabiya English. July 2, 2018. Archived from the original on November 16, 2018. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
^ phillsmyth (18 June 2014). "Hizballah Cavalcade: From Najaf to Damascus and Onto Baghdad: Iraq's Liwa Abu Fadl al-Abbas". Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
"مجلس الوزراء يعتمد قائمة التنظيمات الإرهابية. | WAM". November 17, 2014. Archived from the original on November 17, 2014.
Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (14 August 2018). "The History of Liwa Assad Allah al-Ghalib: Interview". aymennjawad.org. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
"Shi'ite fighters rally to defend Damascus shrine". Reuters. 3 March 2013. Archived from the original on 3 May 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
"Iran's Foreign Legion: The Role of Iraqi Shiite Militias in Syria". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Archived from the original on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
Fadel, Leith (26 October 2015). "More Iraqi Paramilitary Arrive in Aleppo Under Orders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard". Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 29 September 2016.
"Iraqi Shi'ites flock to Assad's side as sectarian split widens". Reuters. 19 June 2013. Archived from the original on 27 August 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
#حركة_نور_الدين_الزنكي -- السيطرة على غرفة عمليات ابو الفضل العباس في حي الراشدين. YouTube. 19 May 2014. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
"Hezbollah displacing Iraqi Shiite fighters in Syria". Ya Libnan. 14 June 2014. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
"WATCH: Iranian militia leader appears in video in Daraa". english.alarabiya.net. 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 4 July 2018.

Syrian civil war

Overviews

Main overviews	Syria Rojava Syrian civil war Timeline Background and causes Syrian peace process Syrian government reactions Belligerents Inter-rebel conflict Spillover Cities and towns Sectarianism and minorities Syrian Desert campaign (December 2017–present)
Effects and ongoing concerns	Casualties of the Syrian civil war Refugees of the Syrian civil war Humanitarian aid during the Syrian civil war Human rights violations during the Syrian civil war
Phases and processes	Syrian revolution Early insurgency phase 2012–2013 escalation Ceasefires Syrian peace process
World reaction	International reactions to the Syrian civil war Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war Reactions to the fall of the Assad regime
Specific groups and countries	Russian involvement Russian intervention Turkish involvement Turkish occupation of northern Syria Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria US intervention in the Syrian civil war 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria Kurdish Area in Syria Syrian Democratic Forces Rojava conflict U.S. task force
Agreements and dialogues	Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria Relations between Syrian government and Kurdish groups in Syria
Transitional phase	Syrian transitional government

Timeline

Background

2011
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2012
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2013
Jan–Apr
May–Dec

2014
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2015
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2016
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2017
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2018
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2019
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2020
Jan–Dec

2021
Jan–Dec

2022
Jan–Dec

2023
Jan-Dec

2024
Jan–Oct
Nov–present

Spillover

Israel and Golan Heights:	March 2017 incident February 2018 incident May 2018 Israel–Iran incidents
Iraq:	Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi border airstrike
Jordanian border incidents	April 2014 Jordanian border airstrike
Lebanon:	Lebanese border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut North Lebanon clashes Qalamoun (Jul–Aug 2017)
Turkey:	December 2011 Turkish border clash 2012 Turkish F-4 Phantom shootdown 2012 Turkish border clashes 2013 Reyhanlı car bombings January 2014 Turkish attack in Syria Assassination of Andrei Karlov Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident 2020 Balyun airstrikes Operation Spring Shield
Elsewhere:	Deir ez-Zor missile strike (Iran)

Belligerents

Ba'athist regime

Politics of Ba'athist Syria	Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party
Military and militias	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Resistance PFLP-GC al-Quds Brigade Palestine Liberation Army
Foreign support	Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russian involvement medical facility targeting military intervention Wagner Group Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces

Opposition

Interim government	National Coalition Local Coordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Syrian Patriotic Group
Opposition militias	Syrian National Army Free Syrian Army National Front for Liberation Army of Glory Authenticity and Development Front Army of Free Tribes Revolutionary Commando Army Muslim Brotherhood in Syria Grey Wolves
Foreign support	US intervention Jordanian intervention Qatar Saudi Arabia Turkey

Autonomous Administration
of North and East Syria

DFNS Government	Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political parties
SDF militias	People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Anti-Terror Units Al-Sanadid Forces Army of Revolutionaries SDF military councils Syriac Military Council Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Northern Democratic Brigade
Support	Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion Sinjar Resistance Units Êzîdxan Women's Units

Islamists

Islamic State

al-Qaeda and allies

People

Elections	2011 local elections 2012 parliamentary election 2014 presidential election 2015 Northern local elections 2016 parliamentary election 2017 Northern local elections 2017 Northern regional elections 2018 local elections 2020 parliamentary election 2021 presidential election
Issues	Casualties Cities and towns Chemical weapons Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International demonstrations and protests International reactions Massacres Mass graves Refugees Sectarianism and minorities Status of the Golan Heights Spillover in Lebanon Syrian government reactions
Peace process	Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN supervision mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Idlib demilitarization (2018–present) First Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Second Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Syrian Constitutional Committee
Investigations/legal cases	Investigations International Commission Chemical weapons War crimes cases Germany Canada + Netherlands vs Syria
Related topics	Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian detainee report Syrian media coverage 2015 European migrant crisis Syrian civil war in popular culture

Category

Armed groups in the Iraqi conflict

Iraqi government

Iraqi Armed Forces
Iraqi security forces
Iraqi Police
- Iraqi Police Service
- National Police
- Supporting Forces
Facilities Protection Service

Ba'athists

Army of the Men of the Naqshbandi Order
Fedayeen Saddam
General Military Council for Iraqi Revolutionaries
Al-Awda
General Command of the Armed Forces, Resistance and Liberation in Iraq
Popular Army
New Return
Patriotic Front
Political Media Organ of the Ba'ath Party
Popular Resistance for the Liberation of Iraq
Al-Abud Network
Free Iraqi Army

Militias and others

Shia Islamic militias

Sunni Islamic militias

Kurdish militias

Turkmen militias

Assyrian militias

Nineveh Plains	Nineveh Plain Protection Units Nineveh Plain Forces Qaraqosh Protection Committee Dwekh Nawsha

Yazidi militias

Asayîşa Êzîdxanê

Êzîdxan Protection Force

Sinjar Alliance

Insurgents

Nationalist Salafis	Mujahideen Army Mujahideen Battalions of the Salafi Group of Iraq Islamic Salafist Boy Scout Battalions Mohammad's Army
Salafi Jihadists	Al-Mustafa Army in Iraq Ansar al-Islam in Kurdistan Black Banner Organization Abu Theeb's group Abu Bakr Al-Salafi Army Hassan Al-Basri Brigades Jamaat Ansar al-Sunna Jamaat Jaysh Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamaah Islamic State Mujahideen Shura Council Jaish al-Ta'ifa al-Mansurah Al-Qaeda in Iraq Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad Shield of Islam Brigade Wakefulness and Holy War White Flags

Militant Islamism

Militant Islamism in the Middle East and North Africa region

Ideology

Phenomena

Organisations

Middle East

North Africa

Leaders

Events

Israeli–Palestinian conflict
Lebanese Civil War
Iranian Revolution
Iran–Iraq War
Algerian Civil War
Terrorism in Egypt
Insurgency in the Maghreb (2002–present)
Iraq War (2003–2011)
Libyan crisis (2011–present)
Syrian civil war (2012–present)
War in Iraq (2013–2017)
Yemeni civil war (2014–present)

Part of Islamism
Militant Islamism in

v t e Militant Islamism in South Asia
Ideology	Deobandi Deobandi jihadism Wahhabism Salafi movement Salafi jihadism Pan-Islamism Pashtunwali
Phenomena	Islamic extremism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic terrorism
Organisations	Taliban Haqqani network Jamaat al Dawa al Quran Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan Lashkar-e-Jhangvi Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami Lashkar-e-Omar Jundallah Ansarul Sharia Pakistan Haji Namdar Group Ahrar-ul-Hind Hizbul Mujahideen Jaish-e-Mohammed Al-Badr (Jammu and Kashmir) Tehreek-e-Azaadi Jammu and Kashmir Lashkar-e-Taiba Harkat-ul-Mujahideen Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami Bangladesh Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam Jamaat-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Indian Mujahideen Popular Front of India Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) Karnataka Forum for Dignity Jamaat-e-Islami Pakistan
Leaders	Syed Ahmad Barelvi Hibatullah Akhundzada Riaz Basra Jalaluddin Haqqani Qari Hussain Mullah Akhtar Mansour Baitullah Mehsud Mohammed Omar Mullah Muhammad Rasul Hafiz Muhammad Saeed
Related	Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001) Shabana Talibanization
Part of Islamism Militant Islamism in MENA region Southeast Asia Sub-Saharan Africa

v t e Militant Islamism in Southeast Asia
Ideology	Islamism Jihadism Salafi jihadism Pan-Islamism
Phenomena	Islamic extremism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic terrorism
Organisations	Abu Sayyaf Al-Ma'unah Ansar Khalifa Philippines Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters Barisan Revolusi Nasional Darul Islam Front for the Liberation of Champa Indonesian Mujahedeen Council Islamic Liberation Front of Patani Jamaah Ansharusy Syariah Jemaah Islamiyah Jamaah Ansharut Daulah Jamaah Ansharut Tauhid Khalifa Islamiyah Mindanao Kumpulan Mujahidin Malaysia Laskar Jihad Maute group Moro Islamic Liberation Front Mujahedeen KOMPAK Mujahidin Indonesia Timur Patani United Liberation Organisation Pattani Islamic Mujahideen Movement Runda Kumpulan Kecil United Mujahideen Front of Pattani
Leaders	Abdullah Sungkar Abu Bakar Bashir Abu Sabaya Abdurajik Abubakar Janjalani Ataullah abu Ammar Jununi Azahari Husin Dulmatin Khadaffy Janjalani Les Kosem Mahmud Ahmad Murad Ebrahim Noordin Mohammad Top Nur Misuari Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo Zulkifli Abdhir
Events	South Thailand insurgency Timeline of events Islamic insurgency in the Philippines Cross border attacks in Sabah Insurgency in Aceh 1985 Borobudur bombing Sauk Siege Christmas Eve 2000 Indonesia bombings 2000 Sipadan kidnappings 2000 Philippine consulate bombing Rizal Day bombings Dos Palmas kidnappings Singapore embassies attack plot 2002 Bali bombings 2003 Marriott Hotel bombing 2004 Palopo cafe bombing 2004 SuperFerry 14 bombing Australian Embassy bombing in Jakarta 2005 Tentena market bombings 2005 Bali bombings 2005 Indonesian beheadings of Christian girls 2005 Palu market bombing 2007 Basilan beheading incident 2009 Jakarta bombings 2013 Ekayana Monastery bombing Mamasapano clash 2016 Jakarta attacks 2016 Movida Bar grenade attack 2016 Davao City bombing 2016 Samarinda church bombing 2017 Jakarta bombings 2018 Mako Brimob standoff Surabaya bombings 2018 Lamitan bombing 2019 Jolo Cathedral bombings 2020 Jolo bombings 2021 Makassar cathedral bombing Indonesian National Police headquarters shooting Datu Paglas market occupation Indonesian People's Da'wah Party crackdown Istana Negara attempted shooting Astana Anyar bombing 2024 Ulu Tiram police station attack
Part of Islamism Militant Islamism in MENA region South Asia Sub-Saharan Africa

v t e Militant Islamism in Sub-Saharan Africa
Ideology	Jihadism Salafi jihadism Pan-Islamism
Phenomena	Islamic extremism Islamic fundamentalism Islamic terrorism
Organisations	Al-Shabaab Islamic Courts Union Al-Itihaad al-Islamiya Hizbul Islam Boko Haram Ansaru Movement for Oneness and Jihad in West Africa Al-Mulathameen Jama'at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb Ansar Dine Al-Mourabitoun Katiba Macina Ansarul Islam Katibat Salaheddin Ansar al-Sharia (Mali) Ansar al-Sharia (Mauritania) Allied Democratic Forces Islamic State Islamic State in the Greater Sahara Islamic State – West Africa Province Islamic State - Central Africa Province Islamic State in Somalia Islamic State - Mozambique Province Ansar al-Sunna (Mozambique)
Leaders	Ali Yassin Mohamed Hassan Dahir Aweys Fuad Qalaf Abdul Qadir Mumin Mokhtar Belmokhtar Abou Zeid Abdelmalek Droukdel Abubakar Shekau Ahmad Umar Mohammed Yusuf Iyad Ag Ghaly Amadou Koufa Adnan Abu Walid al-Sahrawi Sedane Ag Hita Ibrahim Malam Dicko Djaffar Dicko Musa Baluku
Events	Islamist insurgency in the Sahel Mali War Jihadist insurgency in Burkina Faso Jihadist insurgency in Niger Somali Civil War (2009–present) Boko Haram insurgency Insurgency in Cabo Delgado
Part of Islamism Militant Islamism in MENA region South Asia Southeast Asia

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See also

References