View source for Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz

{{infobox war faction
|name= Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz
|native_name= كتيبة أحرار ألشركس
|native_name_lang=
|war=the [[Syrian Civil war]]
|image= File:Flag of Adygea.svg
|caption= The group uses the [[flag of Adygea]] which is representative of Circassian identity 
|active= February 2013  — 2014 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://revoultionsyria.blogspot.com/2014/11/jihadist-groups-in-syria.html|title=Syrian Revolution - Armed Groups: Jihadist groups in Syria|first=Hamoudi|last=Mezghiche|date=23 November 2014|publisher=}}</ref>
|ideology=
|leaders= Abu Hatab al-Sharkassy
|headquarters= [[Beer Ajam]], [[Quneitra Governorate]]
|area= [[Quneitra Governorate]] and [[Latakia Governorate]]
|size=
|partof= {{flagicon image|Infobox Ajnad al-Kavkaz flag.png}} [[Ajnad al-Kavkaz]] (since 2014)
|predecessor=
|successor=
|clans=
|allies= {{flagicon image|Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg}} [[Al-Nusra]]<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of Jihad.svg}} [[Alwiya al-Furqan]]<br>{{Flagicon|Syrian opposition}} [[Free Syrian Army]]<br>{{flagicon image|Flag of the Islamic Front (Syria).svg}} [[Islamic Front (Syria)|Islamic Front]]
|opponents= {{flagicon|Syria}} [[Syria]]<br>{{flagicon image|InfoboxHez.PNG}} [[Hezbollah]]
|battles= [[Syrian Civil War]]
* [[Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–14)]]
|url=
}}

'''Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz''', originally formed as '''Ahrar al-Sharkas''' ([[Arabic]]: كتيبة أحرار ألشركس, The Free Circassian Battalion), was an armed group based in the [[Quneitra Governorate]] of  [[Syria]] with some fighters in the [[Latakia Governorate]]. The group was made up of ethnic [[Circassians]] from [[Beer Ajam]]. The group came to prominence during the [[Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–14)]].

==History==

The group was founded by a local from Beer Ajam of Circassian descent who goes by the [[nom de guerre]] Abu Hatab al-Sharkassy who has expressed support for the [[Caucasus Emirate]]. In 2014 he declared allegiance to [[Ajnad al-Kavkaz]], thus making Ahrar al-Sharkas part of it and moved some fighters to the Latakia Governorate to be closer to the central core of Ajnad al-Kavkaz.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chechensinsyria.com/?p=22975|title="Displaced Conflict": Ethnic Circassian Ahrar Al-Sharkas Joins Junud Al-Qawqaz|website=Chechens in Syria|accessdate=9 October 2018|date=28 November 2014}}</ref> After their declaration of allegiance to Ajnad Al-Kavkaz, Ajnad Al-Kavkaz officially recognized itself as active in the Quneitra Governorate.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aymennjawad.org/15698/jamaat-jund-al-qawqaz-a-caucasus-emirate-group-in|title=Jamaat Jund al-Qawqaz: A Caucasus Emirate Group in Latakia|first=Aymenn Jawad|last=Al-Tamimi|publisher=}}</ref> The group chose to remain neutral in the [[Inter-rebel conflict during the Syrian Civil War|conflict]] between ISIL and other rebel groups.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Quneitra Governorate in the Syrian civil war]]