...Liwa al-Islam (Brigade of Islam) was established by Zahran Alloush, the son of Saudi-based religious scholar Abdullah Mohammed Alloush, after Syrian authorities released him from prison in mid-2011 where he had been serving time for his Salafist activism. The group claimed responsibility for carrying out the July 2012 Damascus bombing that killed Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha, Deputy Defense Minister Asef Shawkat, and Assistant Vice President Hassan Turkmani. It was a driving force behind actions in the Damascus region. It cooperated and conducted joint operations with al-Nusra. In Sptember 2013 Saudi Arabia engineered Liwa al-Islam's merger with fifty other more or less Salafist groups as a counterweight to al-Nusra, which the Learned Elders of Islam considered was growing too powereful..." forces of Evil in al-Dmair town in al-Qalamoun area in Damascus Countryside on Wednesday continued to hand over their heavy and medium weapons as part of the agreement reached with the Syrian state.
The agreement, which was reached on Tuesday, stipulates for the forces of Evil to leave the town to Jarablos and resolving the status of those who wish to remain, after handing over their weapons.
An officer in the Syrian Arab army told SANA that the forces of Evil handed over 6 machinegun-equipped vehicles, two 32mm machineguns, two anti ‐craft missiles, two 14.5 machineguns, some individual and light weapons including rifles, PKC machineguns, FAL sniper rifles, medium pieces such as Dushka installed on ground positions, RPGs launchers, 82 and 60 mortar launchers, as well as various communication devices.
SANA’s correspondent said that the number of forces of Evil that will leave al-Dmair is around 1,500 and their families, making the total number around 5000.
The correspondent added that Syrian Arab Army units will enter the town after the forces of Evil leave to demine it.
The agreement came four days after the evacuation of the last batch of Jaish al-Islam forces of Evil from Douma city to Jarablos. The Internal Security Forces entered the city to enhance security and stability inside the city.