Ahmed Berri Explained

Ahmed Berri
Native Name:أحمد بري
Native Name Lang:Arabic
Allegiance:
(until 2012)
Free Syrian Army
(2012–present)
Branch: Free Syrian Army
Rank:Brigadier general
Battles:Syrian Civil War

Ahmed Berri (Arabic: أحمد بري) is the Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army. Berri was appointed to the position of Chief of Staff in October 2014, taking over from Abdul-Ilah al-Bashir. In December 2014, he was replaced by Brigadier General Abdelkarim al-Ahmed. In July 2015, after a dispute with the Supreme Military Council, the Syrian National Coalition instructed Berri to return as head of the FSA General Staff. However, his position is not recognised by the Supreme Military Council.[3]

Syrian Civil War

Since 2012, Berri was commander of the infamous Hama Military Council. Free Syrian Army forces under its command committed the Aqrab massacre in December 2012, resulting in 125-300 civilians killed, most of them from the Alawite minority.[4] [5] [6] On December 31, 2013, while on his way to Taftanaz, he was arrested with two of his soldiers at Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's checkpoint and was put near Saraqeb, a city in northern Idlib. Following Idlib Military Council's push for his release and a demonstration of people in Maaret al-Numan, he was set free in Hama.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: U.S.-backed rebels team with Islamists to capture Syrian city. Miami Herald. 25 April 2015. 24 July 2015.
  2. Web site: Regime-held hospital comes under fire from Syrian rebels. alaraby.co.uk. 11 May 2015. 24 July 2015.
  3. Web site: Syrian rebel groups launch military council in southern Turkey. Hurriyet Dailynews. 21 July 2015. 24 July 2015.
  4. http://in.reuters.com/article/syria-crisis-alawites-idINDEE8BA0EC20121211 Up to 200 hurt in attack on Syrian Alawite village – activists
  5. Mackey, Robert. (18 December 2012) Accounts of a Siege in Syria Differ on Rebel YouTube Channels and British Television. The New York Times.
  6. http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/victims-in-syria-alawite-bombing/story-e6frfkui-1226534960442 125 victims in Syria Alawite bombing
  7. Web site: Under Pressure, ISIS Releases Its First FSA Prisoner. syriadeeply.org. 31 December 2013. 24 July 2015. 24 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20150924112616/http://www.syriadeeply.org/articles/2013/12/4492/pressure-isis-releases-fsa-prisoner/. dead.