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The Syrian Liberation Front (SLF) and several Free Syrian Army (FSA) groups, including Jaysh al-Izza, Jaysh al-Ahrar and the Suqour al-Sham Brigades, are planning to merge their forces in order to form a unified group, according to a report of the Syrian pro-opposition news outlet Enab Baladi.
The SLF itself is a result of a merger between the Ahrar al-Sham Movement and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, which was officially announced on February 19.
According to Enab Baladi, Turkey blessed the SLF’s plan to merge with several FSA groups in northern Syria. However, Turkey will not back the new unified group, just like it didn’t back the SLF before.
Currently, Turkey is only supporting the National Front for Liberation (NFL), which was formed by ten FSA groups led by Faylaq al-Sham on May 29.
Local observers believe that these groups are unifying in an attempt to counter the influence of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which dominates the northern governorate of Idlib. The SLF indeed waged war on HTS right after its formation and the new unified group will likely do the same.
