Jaish al-Islam Rebels Vow Revenge on Latakia for Hezbollah-Regime Offensive on Zabadani

Rebels have promised action to counter the five-week Hezbollah-regime attempt to take the town of Zabadani, northwest of Damascus.

In a statement on Wednesday, the leading rebel faction Jaish al-Islam said it supported the halt of negotiations to evacuate Zabadani — suspended by the faction Ahrar al-Sham, appointed by resident to lead the talks, with the claim that Iran is pursuing sectarian cleansing of populated areas.

Captain Islam Alloush, the Jaish al-Islam spokesman, called for a military operation to support Zabadani. This could be either in the north or the south of the country, where rebels have open supply lines with neighboring countries such as Turkey and Jordan.
(Jaish al-Islam, based near Damascus in the East Ghouta area, are unable to launch an operation because of siege by the Syrian military.)

On Saturday, a statement issued by Alloush via Twitter said rebels should carry out rocket attacks on Latakia city, considered a base of support for the Assad regime, on the Mediterranean. Hours later, Jaish Al-Islam issued a video of two Grad rockets being fired at “the military port in Latakia”.

Meanwhile, Jaish al-Islam leader Zahran Alloush has given a speech addressing concerns about the faction’s handling of the siege on East Ghouta.

Alloush blamed other groups, notably the local faction Ajnad al-Sham, for causing trouble in the area. He said Ajnad al-Sham had stockpiled 1000 tons of food and more a million liters of fuel while civilians have to pay extortionate prices for bread and oil.

The commander called for a committee to investigate warehouses, beginning with those of Jaish al-Islam, whom he said had less than a week of food.

Alloush said that he did not want in-fighting and blood to be spilled, and that matters should be resolved sensibly. He offered to resign, with Jaish al-Islam pulling out of the area, if that was the wish of the people.

There have been demonstrations in recent months in East Ghouta over the supply and price of food and basic goods and the detention of local men. Jaish al-Islam has responded that inflation is largely due to the siege conditions, with some merchants taking advantage by raising prices, and that those detained have connections to the Islamic State.

In addition to fighting the regime — including the elite 4th Division, the Republican Guards, and Iraqi and Lebanese militia — in East Ghouta, Jaish Al-Islam has been facing both the Syrian military and the Islamic State to the north in the eastern Qalamoun region. The rebels are facing the cut-off of supply lines from both the north and the south.