Al-Bab Military Council
مجلس الباب العسكري
Flag of the al-Bab Military Council
Leaders	Jamal Abu Juma
Dates of operation	14 August 2016 – present
Group(s)	Al-Bab Revolutionary Front Qebasin Martyrs Brigade Army of Revolutionaries (elements) Seljuq Brigade Al-Bab Countryside Martyrs Battalion Free Arima Battalion Martyr Silo al-Rai Brigade Kieba Martyrs Brigade Female Battalion
Headquarters	Manbij
Active regions	Manbij District and eastern al-Bab District
Allies	United States Russia
Battles and wars	Western al-Bab offensive (September 2016) Western al-Bab offensive (October–November 2016) [1] Battle of al-Bab

The al-Bab Military Council (BMC) is an ethnically mixed force of the Syrian Democratic Forces, consisting of Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen militias from northern Aleppo Governorate. The BMC currently maintains a presence in several villages west of Manbij, though its stated goal is to capture al-Bab, currently under the Syrian Interim Government.

History

The al-Bab Military Council was formed on 14 August 2016 by seven small SDF-affiliated factions with the goal of capturing the city of al-Bab, which they described as "a symbol of the revolution and the foundation for a democratic, free and plural Syria". It called for US military support. Afrin-based SDF forces, cut off from the rest of the SDF by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, launched an offensive in the countryside west of al-Bab in September. ^{[2] [3]} Amid the Battle of al-Bab and the wider Operation Euphrates Shield, the BMC fought alongside the People's Protection Units (YPG) against the Islamic State and the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA) in an attempt to capture al-Bab before Turkey did. ^[4] The BMC and its allies were unable to reach the city. ^[5] Since then, the BMC has frequently reiterated its intention to end the Turkish occupation of the region. ^{[6] [7] [8] [9]}

As clashes between the SDF and the Turkish-backed forces increased in March 2017, the SDF made a deal with the Syrian government and agreed to the posting of loyalist Syrian border guards in SDF-held areas to defuse tensions. ^{[10] [11]} The BMC coordinated with these border guards to counter attacks by the TFSA. ^[11] The group maintained a presence in several villages that bordered on Turkish-held territories, and repeatedly clashed with Turkish-backed forces. ^[12]

After the village of Arima was formally placed under Syrian Army control on 25 December 2018 following a deal between the SDF and the Syrian government, ^{[13] [14]} the BMC (along with the Manbij Military Council and Kurdish Front) was one of the SDF units which maintained a presence in the village. ^[15] In early January 2019, several clashes took place between the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA, previously known as the TFSA) and the BMC near Arima. ^{[16] [17]} In response, BMC fighters, led by their commander Jamal Abu Juma, conducted joint patrols with Russian Armed Forces soldiers in the area where the joint SDF-Syrian Army zone bordered on Turkish-held territories. ^{[18] [19]} Sporadic fighting continued between the BMC and SNA. ^[20]

Structure

The BMC initially consisted of seven militias, two Arab units (Al-Bab Revolutionary Front and Free Arima Battalion), two Kurdish groups (Qebasin Martyrs Brigade and Kieba Martyrs Brigade), one Turkmen militia ( Seljuq Brigade), and two ethnically mixed units (Al-Bab Countryside Martyrs Battalion and Martyr Silo al-Rai Brigade). ^[4]

In October 2016, an all-female battalion was established. ^[21] This unit started to recruit women among the refugees from al-Bab, especially those who had suffered at the hands of ISIL. ^{[21] [22] [23]}

Jamal Abu Juma is the commander of the BMC. ^{[6] [24] [18]} By February 2019, he had survived 15 assassination attempts. ^[25]

References

Bibliography

• Heing, Bridey (2018). Cultural Destruction by ISIS. The Crimes of ISIS. New York: Enslow Publishing. ISBN  9780766092150. LCCN  2017026280. Retrieved 7 July 2020.