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I did some research on factional affiliation of al-'Uqaydat tribal confederacy's al-Bu Kamal branch in #DayrAzZawr province before the takeover of #IS and got some surprising results:
I did some research on factional affiliation of al-'Uqaydat tribal confederacy's al-Bu Kamal branch in #DayrAzZawr province before the takeover of #IS and got some surprising results:
1) The most influental local Brigade in the area between al-Bahrah and the Iraqi border clearly appears to have been Liwa' Ahl al-Athar (@Alathr2012).
The Brigade was explicitly an al-'Uqaydat tribal brigade of the #FSA.
The Brigade was explicitly an al-'Uqaydat tribal brigade of the #FSA.
2) Another local faction was Liwa' 'Umar al-Mukhtar. It had a few members from the environs of ash-Sha'fah, but its headquarters were located in al-Bu Kamal city and it's support base also was predominantly urban.
3) A third faction was Liwa' Faysal al-'Uqaydi, part Ahrar ash-Sham.
There isn't barely indication for Nusrah having a support base among the tribal population around al-Bu Kamal city and I believe that they recruited mostly from urban centers.
There isn't barely indication for Nusrah having a support base among the tribal population around al-Bu Kamal city and I believe that they recruited mostly from urban centers.
4) All three brigades have a very small and unprofessional media presence, have no clear own logos and are mostly mentioned by locals on twitter.
In the following part, I want to take a closer look at Liwa' Ahl al-Athar, which was the most influental among them:
In the following part, I want to take a closer look at Liwa' Ahl al-Athar, which was the most influental among them:
5) As mentioned, Liwa' Ahl al-Athar was explicitly an 'Uqaydat brigade.
This gets clear, when looking at their martyrs. There are reports from most villages between Bahrah and al-Bu Kamal, except the 'Ubayd (not part of 'Uqaydat) villages of Abu al-Hasan and Abu al-Khatir.
This gets clear, when looking at their martyrs. There are reports from most villages between Bahrah and al-Bu Kamal, except the 'Ubayd (not part of 'Uqaydat) villages of Abu al-Hasan and Abu al-Khatir.
6) But as I found out, it's not only an 'Uqaydi brigade, but formed by al-Bu Kamal branch in special.
There is a mention of a killed fighter from Shu'aytat town Gharanij, but it doesn't go any further, neither north nor south of the Euphrates.
There is a mention of a killed fighter from Shu'aytat town Gharanij, but it doesn't go any further, neither north nor south of the Euphrates.
7) To make this a bit more demonstrative, here a video of Katibat Abu 'Ubaydah bin al-Jarrah from al-Bahrah joining Liwa' Ahl al-Athar (LAA).
It is also mentioned as part of @alasalawatanmya, but this affiliation seems to have been rather loose.
It is also mentioned as part of @alasalawatanmya, but this affiliation seems to have been rather loose.
8) Interestingly, Liwa' Ahl al-Athar seems to have been quite anti-Islamist. In June 2014, when situation in the fight against IS was already dire, the brigade attacked a Nusra headquarters in rural al-Bu Kamal.
9) In general, there are many mentions from locals of IS als traitors, rats, etc.
But earlier, in April 2014, Nusra and FSA in Baghuz "besieged" IS cells in Shaykh Hamad village.
But earlier, in April 2014, Nusra and FSA in Baghuz "besieged" IS cells in Shaykh Hamad village.
10) So while it appears from what is accessible to me, that in general, locals were quite staunchly anti-IS, it is possible that IS supporters just didn't get to articulate it or got deleted by now.
11) In ash-Sha'fah, there was at least one demonstration after the takeover of IS against it and for the return of the rebels.
12) In the first months of IS occupation, there also was some degree of armed resistance.
In two seperate attacks in ash-Sha'fah and Baghuz, three IS members were killed and over ten wounded.
In two seperate attacks in ash-Sha'fah and Baghuz, three IS members were killed and over ten wounded.
13) To conclude, the look at the map of IS activities in Dayr az-Zawr underlined the influence of political affiliations of tribes on political realities in the region.
This are of course doesn't mean all members of a tribe are unitary.
This are of course doesn't mean all members of a tribe are unitary.
14) Since there can't be certainty if I'm not missing a different view of the situation from local IS members, it still remains to be seen how situation of security in the area will evolve.
15) However, it's apparent, that the al-Bu Kamil branch (sons are former DeZ IS-Wali Amir ar-Rafdan and HTS leader Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani), is definitely in another league of support for Islamist terror.
End) Despite this reveal of a lesser-known place and time of the Syrian Civil war, a part of the region, the al-'Ubayd area between Hajin and Abu al-Hasan still remains a black box, I wasn't really able to find info about it.
