Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa

Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa (جبهة ثوار الرقة), or the Front of Raqqa Revolutionaries, is a rebel group that has been active during the Syrian Civil War. It's currently part of the Syrian Democratic Forces, the group which is backed by the American-led intervention in Syria.

It was formed in the Raqqa Governorate in September 2012, under its original name Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa (لواء ثوار الرقة).

Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa
Between 2012 and 2013, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa was allied to the al-Nusra Front in Raqqa city. In September 2013, it pledged allegiance to the al-Nusra Front and became part of it, although it was not fully integrated into Nusra. During the time Liwa al-Thuwar al-Raqqa was part of al-Nusra, it fought the Kurdish-led People's Protection Units (YPG) in Tell Abyad, and was involved in the abduction of Kurds and looting in Raqqa city.

In January 2014, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa broke away from the al-Nusra Front after observing ties between al-Nusra leaders and al-Qaeda. Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa led the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the city of Raqqa. After ISIL expelled Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa and other rebel groups from Raqqa city, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa moved into the northern Raqqa Governorate countryside and allied itself with the YPG and the Kurdish Front. In July 2014 the faction and 10 other groups threatened to leave Aleppo and Raqqa governorates if they were not aided by other rebels in their fight against ISIL.

In September 2014, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa joined the YPG-FSA Euphrates Volcano joint operations room. It reportedly received anti-tank missiles and other equipment from the United States through the Şanlıurfa border crossing as part of the Syrian Train and Equip Program to fight ISIL.

In 2015, it participated in the YPG offensive towards the Syrian border city of Tell Abyad. In June, fighters from Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa were near the Turkish border, whilst the group was also fighting ISIL in the southern city of Ayn Issa, on the Raqqa road. Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa was able to grow considerably in size because of the influx of both rebels from Turkey and locals who wanted to fight ISIL. The current size of the brigade is unknown, but numbers in the hundreds at least. In October 2015, the group stated it received military equipment from the United States and YPG in order to fight ISIL north of Raqqa. It has stated it intends to capture the city of Raqqa from ISIL. Pro-opposition newspaper Al-Tamimi claimed that Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa wants Syria to become a unitary civil democratic state.

Reorganisation under the SDF banner
In November 2015, the group merged with Tribes' Army of Tell Abyad to form Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa which became part of a greater coalition in northern Syria. However tensions between the Kurdish and Arab factions of the group grew after alleged Kurdish atrocities against the Arab populations of northern Syria. In response the Kurds with their Arab allies blockaded the region held by Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, after ISIS attacks increased from the region held by Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, which became susceptible to an Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant attack in late December 2015. On 6 January 2016, the group issued a statement claiming it was disbanding as a consequence of the blockade, although the cause of the disbandment has been disputed. After the disbandment they continued to use the Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa name. In late 2015, the group reappeared, announcing it had decided to join Syrian Democratic Forces.

On 20 October 2016, Thuwar al-Raqqa established an all-female battalion named the "Free Women Raqqa Battalion".

During the Raqqa campaign, three of its former subgroups groups, the Raqqa Hawks Brigade, Raqqa Martyrs Brigade, and the Free Raqqa Brigade, are participating in the countryside operations, leaving Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa. while Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa will be involved in taking the city itself.

During the offensive, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa's political bureau condemned the offensive for being led by the YPG. This caused tensions between the group's political bureau, who opposes the YPG, and the overall leader and military commander of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, Abu Issa, who is allied with the YPG. In response, the YPG besieged and raided the group's headquarter.

On 10 December 2016, the second phase of the Raqqa campaign was announced, with Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa participating under the SDF. Tensions rose again on 25 December and several military commanders in Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa reportedly announced their defection to the Raqqa Hawks Brigade. 2 days later, the Thuwar al-Raqqa commanders declared on video that they were captured by the Raqqa Hawks Brigade and forced to announce their defection, and that they are still with Thuwar al-Raqqa.

On 19 May 2017, Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa held a meeting with other SDF member groups in negotiating the role that the former will play in the Raqqa campaign. After SDF commander Hussam Awak promised the unit that "its role [in Raqqa] will be essential, especially in the civil and humanitarian affairs", Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa sent a convoy of troops to participate in the offensive.