Why do fighters of the Turkish-backed Syrian "National Army" make jihadist chants? In 1 video from Libya, a fighter falsely claims they captured a base from "the Iranian Magi," In another, a fighter says they're fighting "to defend Islam & the banner 'there is no God but Allah'"
One answer, widely accepted in Western media, is that SNA fighters make these chants because they are in fact, jihadists. However, their conduct, incl alcohol drinking, consumption of stimulants, sexual harassment & rape, are not characteristic of Syrian jihadist groups.
Jihadists would also not openly cooperate with Turkey, a state considered by jihadists to be apostate. Actual jihadists groups are fighting the Assad regime in Idlib right now. SNA fighters could join them, if they wanted to, and take on a regime that jihadists consider infidel.
In-depth research I've conducted into the SNA indicates that fighters are primarily motivated by financial gain & their extensive, well-organized & ongoing looting, theft & kidnappings for ransom attest to this. nybooks.com/daily/2019/11/…
Why then make such jihadist chants that harm their int'l reputation? Because these fighters live in a different context. They are trying to mimic those who *in their social circle* still enjoy some support/respect - jihadists who continue to fight Assad and Iran.
These fighters are suffering from cognitive dissonance - they are fighting for money (in northern Syria and Libya), yet don't want to admit it to themselves & others. See thread on extensive looting in the invasion of NE Syria:
Based on multiple conversations I've had with these fighters since 2014 (when they were still rebels), some clearly manage to convince themselves that they are indeed fighting on the good side against terrorism/Assad/for Islam. Motivated reasoning is such a powerful thing.
In January 2018, I was speaking on video to a Faylaq al-Majd contact participating in the invasion of Efrîn. He was on a mountain & a plume of smoke suddenly emerged behind him. I asked what was that & he answered without hesitation that those are Turkish jets bombing ISIS.
I told him, there is no ISIS in Efrîn. You are fighting the YPG who fought ISIS. He responded "yeah, it's the same thing. They're all terrorists." When you want to believe that you're fighting ISIS to justify invading an area & displacing its residents, you find a way.
Similarly, the SNA fighters now in Libya found a way to justify fighting in a war far from home. While Idlib literally burns, they are fighting for Turkish interests in exchange for dollars. The term "jihadist" fails to describe them. "Mercenaries" is a more apt description.
In fact, civilians under SNA control may be better off living under jihadist groups. In jihadist-dominated Idlib, kidnappings for ransom are rare, drunk/high fighters don't fire guns into the air in the middle of the night &there are no reports of rape/sexual harassment by rebels
