Dzhebhat en Nusra - US Actions
The Department of State amended the Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) and Executive Order (E.O.) 13224 designations of al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) on December 11, 2012 to include the following new aliases: al-Nusrah Front, Jabhat al-Nusrah, Jabhet al-Nusra, The Victory Front, and Al-Nusrah Front for the People of the Levant. The Department of State previously designated AQI as an FTO under the Immigration and Nationality Act and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under E.O. 13224 on October 15, 2004. The consequences of adding al-Nusrah Front as a new alias for AQI include a prohibition against knowingly providing, or attempting or conspiring to provide, material support or resources to, or engaging in transactions with, al-Nusrah Front, and the freezing of all property and interests in property of the organization that are in the United States, or come within the United States or the control of U.S. persons.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury on 11 December 2012 designated two senior leaders of the Syrian-based al-Nusrah front, Maysar Ali Musa Abdallah al-Juburi and Anas Hasan Khattab, pursuant to Executive Order 13224 (E.O. 13224) for acting on behalf of al-Qa'ida in Iraq (AQI). This designation was taken in coordination with the U.S. Department of State action to list the al-Nusrah Front as an alias of AQI. Also, the Treasury Department sanctioned two armed militia groups that operated under the control of the Syrian government, Jaysh al-Sha'bi and Shabiha, as well as two Shabiha commanders, pursuant to E.O. 13582, which blocks the property of the Syrian government. These actions represent continued U.S. government efforts to support the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people as they seek to free themselves from the oppression of the Asad regime and to deny al-Qa’ida’s attempts to subvert the Syrian opposition.
“The United States will continue to aggressively pursue those who undermine the desires of the Syrian people to realize a representative government that does not employ violence against its own people. We will target the pro-Asad militias just as we will the terrorists who falsely cloak themselves in the flag of the legitimate opposition,” said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S. Cohen.
On 16 May 2013 the US Department of State designated al-Nusrah Front leader Muhammad al-Jawlani as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order (E.O.) 13224, which targets terrorists and those providing support to terrorists or acts of terrorism. Al-Jawlani was considered the leader of al-Nusrah. He stated in videos that his ultimate goal was the overthrow of the Syrian regime and the institution of Islamist shari’a law throughout the country. Al-Jawlani was specifically tasked by al-Qa’ida in Iraq (AQI) to carry out these objectives. Under al-Jawlani’s leadership, al-Nusrah Front carried out multiple suicide attacks throughout Syria. These attacks were primarily in Damascus but the group targeted other areas of the country as well. Many of these attacks killed innocent Syrian civilians.
The US and its allies carried out at least 50 airstrikes on 22 September 2014 against the militants operating inside Syria. CNN reported that "The airstrikes killed the leader of al Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front, according to a statement released by the group. It identified the leader as Abu Yousef al-Turki, also known as “the Turk.” The al-Nusra statement was accompanied by a so-called proof-of-death — a photograph — of the former fighter". Other sources identified Abu Yousef al-Turki as "a key al-Nusra Front leader," or "a prominent JaN sniper and sniper instructor".
Al-Nusra’s popularity among fighters with some of the most powerful rebel militias -- grouped together in an effective alliance called the Army of Conquest -- presented U.S. war planners with a dilemma in the West’s intervention in a highly complex battle with multiple fronts involving the Syrian regime, Islamist, and more moderate rebels, jihadists and Kurdish forces. Retired U.S. General David Petraeus, a former CIA director, triggered a debate among Western officials and analysts by suggesting in late September 2015 that some al-Nusra fighters could be co-opted to join the international coalition’s fight against the Islamic State group.
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