Abu Sa’id al-Hadrami: The Amir of Jabhat al-Nusra in the Raqqa
Abu Sa’id al-Hadrami: The Amir of Jabhat al-Nusra in the Raqqa
An unattended car was found near the Syrian town of Dayr Hafir in eastern Aleppo province in late September containing an explosive belt usually worn by Abu Sa’id al-Hadrami (a.k.a. Muhammad Sa’id al-Abdullah), the amir of Jabhat al-Nusra (JN). Al-Hadrami was on his way to meet with his group’s leader in Syria, Muhammad al-Jolani, before he was reportedly abducted by armed men affiliated with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an armed group opposed to al-Nusra (al-Akhbar [Beirut], September 27).
Rising to Power in Raqqa
The 40-year-old leader came to prominence after Raqqa became the first provincial center in Syria to fall under the control of anti-regime forces. Prior to that, the former blacksmith from Tabqa (40 miles west of Raqqa) was part of a peaceful movement that called for a transitional democracy and a civic state in Syria. Those who used to protest with him on the streets of Raqqa say that his political ideas were those of a moderate. [1] The cause of al-Hadrami’s fundamental shift in thinking (from a liberal to a radical extremist) remains unclear.
The rise of Islamist elements in eastern Syria has driven many activists and local leaders to build relationships with emerging groups such as JN in attempts to secure leading roles within their communities. On March 4, battalions of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) joined forces with JN and seized the provincial capital of Raqqa after a day-long battle with security guards (Now Lebanon, March 4). Al-Nusra occupied the palace and used it as the group’s main headquarters in Raqqa, demonstrating the strength of the group in the city. The militants arrested Raqqa Governor Major General Hassan Jalali and local Ba’ath chapter Secretary General Sulayman Sulayman inside the palace.
The “liberation” of Raqqa coincided with the appointment of al-Hadrami as the amir of “the emirate of Raqqa” (Elaph, April 9). [2] He was officially appointed by JN leader Abu Muhammad al-Golani to take charge of JN’s affairs in Raqqa, because the latter needed someone who was not foreign to the local populace there. [3] Al-Hadrami lived for a few months in the governor’s palace (as-Safir [Beirut], March 6).
Relations with ISIS
Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the amir of the Islamic State in Iraq, declared in mid-April that the Islamic State in Iraq and JN had merged to form the larger Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS organization). [4] Al-Golani, the former leader of al-Nusra, respectfully insisted that JN and the Islamic State of Iraq would remain separate organizations and pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri, who endorsed his decision (Syrian Observer, October 28).
As a new entity, the ISIS needed to recruit and build up its own forces. The group was particularly interested in al-Hadrami, who was known as a “relief valve” for various armed groups in the Raqqa Province and the greater eastern region, which includes Deir Ezzor Province. [5] He was considered a significant facilitator who could mediate disputes among those armed groups that often sought him out for this reason. Primarily, the ISIS wanted to capitalize on al-Hadrami’s popularity among residents to gain a stronger foothold within the city. Around mid-June, the ISIS offered al-Hadrami the group’s top post in Raqqa Province and put more pressure on al-Hadrami to withdraw his membership from al-Nusra.
The ISIS leadership exploited al-Hadrami’s charismatic personality, his leadership skills and his personal relationships with various opposition battalions in Raqqa. Differences in ideology and tactics between al-Nusra and the ISIS, however, made it difficult for al-Hadrami to stay in his new post. [6] The two groups have different approaches to seeking popular support. Al-Nusra, whose membership is largely comprised of Syrian nationals, adopts a relatively soft approach in dealing with residents. JN portrayed itself as protecting the Muslim population by providing public services such as bakery services and garbage collection. [7] The ISIS, which is almost entirely composed of non-Syrians, is infamous for its repressive policies toward the local population, imposing strict social codes to which ordinary Syrians are not accustomed. Al-Hadrami fundamentally disagreed with ISIS’s tactics, especially their treatment of local people.
After a call in June 2013 from al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri for ISIS to withdraw from Syria and return to Iraq, al-Hadrami quit his post. By early July, al-Hadrami fled to his hometown, Tabqa, which is considered a stronghold of JN, and he rejoined the group. Soon after, fierce clashes broke out abruptly between the ISIS and al-Nusra. Al-Hadrami’s defection from the ISIS, coupled with al-Zawahiri’s endorsement of al-Nusra and their dispute over control of Raqqa, deepened the rift between the two groups (al-Hayat, November 8). The alleged abduction of al-Hadrami by the ISIS in September in eastern Aleppo was the one of the latest manifestations of this hostility.
In September, right before al-Hadrami was purportedly abducted by the ISIS, two large armed brigades in the province of Raqqa, Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa (the Raqqa Revolutionary Brigade) and Liwa al-Muntasir (the Victorious Brigade), defected from the FSA and pledged allegiance to al-Hadrami (October 3). Some reports speculated that these FSA brigades pledged allegiance to al-Nusra in hopes of reducing the growing influence of the ISIS. [8] The fact that these groups pledged allegiance to al-Hadrami is another sign of his growing influence amongst anti-regime rebel groups in Raqqa Province.
Outlook
Al-Hadrami’s leadership abilities have been widely recognized by locals in Raqqa and neighboring parts of eastern Syria, where Islamists have the upper hand. To many observers, his alleged abduction by the ISIS is an attempt to curb JN’s political and military power in Raqqa and perhaps other areas in Syria. Indeed, since the abduction took place JN has noticeably reduced its combat with the ISIS and its presence in Raqqa City has decreased.
Sirwan Kajjo is a Syrian-Kurdish analyst based in Washington, D.C. He writes extensively about Syrian and Kurdish politics.
Notes
1. Email interview with Jassem al-‘Awwar lawyer from Raqqa, November 26, 2013.
2. Email Interviews with local activists in Raqqa, between November 24-27 2013.
3. Skype Interview with Ibrahim Muslim, activist from Raqqa currently based in Turkey on November 25, 2013.
4. Al-Furqan Media, “Announcement of the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham: Speech by the Commander of the Believers Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, May God protect him,” YouTube, April 8, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HPQxA3catY.
5. Skype Interview with Ibrahim Muslim, activist from Raqqa currently based in Turkey on November 25, 2013.
6. Ibid.
7. Himam News Agency, “Jabhat al-Nusra: Cleaning Services in the Town of Binnish – Idlib,” July 11, 2013, YouTube,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ut86JXg_R_I; See “Jabhat al-Nusra: Making of Bread and Its Provision to the Mujahidin on the Fronts in East Ghouta, Rural Damascus,” July 23, 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J9q0oCvHlI.
