Ansar al-Islam is the latest terrorist group to collapse in Syria

Aya Ezz

Ansar al-Islam, one of several militant groups operating in the northern Syrian province of Idlib, has revealed that it suffers financial problems, calling on other factions to support it.

The group called in a statement on charitable Muslims to donate money to rescue it. It underscored the need for arms so that it can maintain its edge in northern Syria.

Ansar al-Islam was founded in 2012 after the merger of a number of factions in Rif-Dimashq and al-Qunaitra.

The group then formed the northern division which operates now in Idlib. It is also active in the northern countryside of Latakia.

Ansar al-Islam started locking horns with Tahrir al-Sham, having proved a strong rival to the al-Qaeda-affiliated group.

It owned tanks and rocket-propelled grenade. Ansar al-Islam used this equipment in attacking the camps of the Syrian army in Damascus in 2013.

This opened the door for fierce battles between the two sides, but Ansar al-Islam decided to retreat after sustaining losses and suffering defeats.

The same group started sliding across the slope of collapse at the end of 2013 because of power struggles inside it.

However, at the beginning of 2014, Ansar al-Islam founded a new branch in southern Rif-Dimashq. In 2015, it founded a branch in Idlib and kept operating until 2018.

Nevertheless, the arrest of two senior leaders of the group caused it to start disintegrating.