The So Be Steadfast Operations Room (Arabic: فاثبتوا, romanized: Fathbito)[9] (also commonly translated as Be Steadfast[7] and Holdout)[10] was a coalition of Salafist jihadist insurgent groups in Idlib Governorate, Syria during the Syrian civil war.
| So Be Steadfast Operations Room | |
|---|---|
| Arabic: فاثبتوا Fathbito | |
| Dates of operation | 12 June 2020[1] – 31 January 2025[citation needed] |
| Groups |  Ansar al-Din Front (until 2025)[2][failed verification][3][failed verification] Ansar Fighters Brigade (until 2022) Hurras al-Din (until 2025)[4] Jihad Coordination (until 2023)[5] Jama'at Ansar al-Islam (until 2021)[6] |
| Active regions | |
| Ideology | Salafi jihadism |
| Status | Dissolved[citation needed] |
| Opponents |  Syrian Arab Armed Forces Iran HezbollahHay'at Tahrir al-Sham[8] |
| Battles and wars | Syrian civil war |
Composition
editThe coalition included Hurras al-Din, Ansar al-Din Front, Jihad Coordination and the Ansar Fighters Brigade.[7]
Jama'at Ansar al-Islam left the operations room in 2021. Ansar Fighters Brigade left the operations room in 2022. Jihad Coordination left the operations room in 2023.
History
editHay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) arrested Abu Salah al-Uzbeki, the founder of Katibat al-Tawhid wal-Jihad, who had defected from HTS and joined Ansar al-Din, on 17 June 2020, while Abu al-Malik al-Talli, another defector from HTS, was arrested on 22 June. So Be Steadfast called for their release and fighting broke out that same day.[11] Infighting between the two factions spread to various towns, including "‘Arab Sa’id, al-Hamamah, al-Ya’qubiyah, Jdaydah, Armanaz, Kuku, and Shaykh Bahar."[12]
The alliance briefly took over Idlib Central Prison in Arab Said.[9] An agreement was signed following the fighting in which Hurras al-Din could not establish checkpoints and needed permission from the Al-Fatah al-Mubin operations room before launching attacks.[13] The operations room was forced to close its various "military bases."[14] al-Uzbeki was released by HTS in March 2021,[15] while al-Talli was also released that year.[16]
References
edit- ↑ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (12 June 2020). "New Jihadist Operations Room in Northwest Syria: 'So Be Steadfast'". Archived from the original on 21 December 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ @ibnnabih1 (28 June 2018). "While there's a lot of chatter of rebels in Idlib opening up a front vs the regime to ease the pressure on Daraa, the only factions that have announced their readiness are jihadi groups Ansar al-Din, TIP, Hurras al-Din, and HTS" (Tweet). Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2026 – via Twitter.
- ↑ "Control of Terrain in Syria: February 9, 2015" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. 9 February 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
the Aleppo Salafi Jihadist coalition Jabhat Ansar al-Din.
- ↑ "Syrian Al-Qaeda Affiliate Announces Dissolution". Barron's. Agence France Presse.
- ↑ Bruno Pedrosa. "(Photo) Turkish Authorities Detain Abu al-Abd Ashidaa, Former Senior Hayy'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) Leader, While on a Pilgrimage Turkey, 17 June 2023". Terrorism Research and Analysis Consortium. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
- ↑ "Jamaat Ansar al-Islam (JAI)". Counter Extremism. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- 1 2 3 Sirwan Kajjo (15 June 2020). "Jihadists in Syria's Idlib Form New 'Operations Room'". Voice of America. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- 1 2 Harun al-Aswad (27 June 2020). "Civil war within civil war: HTS battles rival militants, defectors in Syria's Idlib". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- 1 2 Will Christou; Walid Al Nofal (25 June 2020). "Infighting between extremist opposition groups reveals tension with HTS rule in Idlib". Syria Direct. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ "Holdout Operations Room condemns, threatens Turkish-backed Hayat Tahrir al-Sham over arrests in Syria's Idlib". North Press Agency. 23 June 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2025.
- ↑ "Striving for Hegemony: The HTS Crackdown on al-Qaida and Friends in Northwest Syria". Jihadica. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ Aaron Y. Zelin (9 September 2020). "Living Long Enough to See Yourself Become the Villain: The Case of Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi". The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ Ali Darwish (19 February 2021). "Video wars: Jihadist groups in Syria waging media battles against each other". Enab Baladi. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ Orwa Ajjoub (25 July 2020). "HTS and al-Qaeda in Syria: Reconciling the irreconcilable". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
- ↑ Aya Ezz (22 March 2021). "Abu Saleh al-Uzbeki: Terrorist who turned against Tahrir al-Sham". The Portal Center. Retrieved 25 December 2024.
- ↑ Ali Darwish (30 September 2021). "Conflicts of interest prevent HTS top leaders' assassination". Enab Baladi. Retrieved 25 December 2024.