• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Hurras al-Din (HAD) / Huras al-Din
Guardians of Religion
Tanzim Hurras al-Din
Tandhim Hurras al-Deen
Hurras al-Deen
Sham al-Ribat
Al-Qaida in Syria AQ-S

A group affiliated with Al-Qaida, Hurras al-Din (HAD), operated in Idlib and its suburbs and is assessed to have between 3,500 and 5,000 fighters as of early 2020, up to half of whom are foreign terrorist fighters from countries that include Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Tunisia. HAD adheres more to a global than a local Syrian agenda. Its leader, the Syrian national Samir Hijazi, also known as Abu Hammam al-Shami (not listed), obtained the blessing of Aiman Muhammed Rabi al-Zawahiri (QDi.006) to operate in the name and under the umbrella of Al-Qaida.

Since 2017, al-Qa’ida affiliates have merged with several regional extremist groups to fulfill al-Qa’ida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri’s call to unite militants, attack regional enemies, and offset counterterrorism operations. Hurras al-Din became al-Qa’ida’s Syrian affiliate led by Abu Hammam al-Shami following several mergers in 2018.

Hurras al-Din (HaD), also known as Al-Qa’ida in Syria; Guardians of Religion; Tanzim Hurras ad-Din, replaced the Nusrah Front as al-Qa‘ida’s formal presence in Syria in February 2018 when al-Qa‘ida loyalists—opposed to a decision by the Nusrah Front to break from al-Qa‘ida, merge with other groups opposing the Syrian Government, and rebrand as Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—publicly announced the creation of Hurras al-Din. The group adheres to al-Qa‘ida’s Salafi-jihadist ideology, which advocates attacks against the West and Israel to expel foreign influence from Muslim lands, and it seeks to set the conditions necessary to form a new caliphate across the Levant and the broader Middle East.

Hurras al-Din maintains access to several longtime al-Qa‘ida members who could enable the group to pose a threat to US and other Western interests outside of Syria, despite its weakened state following successive personnel losses since 2019 that have removed many of the group’s veteran leaders. Moreover, an aggressive, wide-scale campaign by HTS to detain Hurras al-Din members since 2020 has hampered Hurras al-Din’s ability to conduct operations and prompted some members to defect from the group.

Operates primarily in Idlib Province, Syria, although it carried out attacks in Ar Raqqah Province and Damascus in 2021. Strength is between 2,000 and 2,500 fighters [as of 2022]. In mid-2019, HaD was estimated to have between 700 and 2,500 fighters – half of which were foreign fighters – but this has likely decreased due to recent losses. Many of HaD’s members are former members of Jabhat al-Nusra. Hurras al-Din primarily uses small arms and VBIED in its attacks. Its main targets are pro-regime and Syria-based Russian forces, although the group has also kidnapped some HTS members.

UN Member States assessed that HAD was made up of a number of small factions, including Jund Al-Malahim, Jaysh Al-Sahel, Jaysh Al-Badyah, Saraya Al-Sahel, Saraya Kabul, Jund Al-Shari’a, Ansar Al-Furqan, Saraya Al-Ghotta, Abu Baker the Al-Sideeq Brigade, the Abu Obaidah Al-Jarah Brigade, Saraya Al-Ghuraba’a, the Jund Al-Sham Brigades, the Fursan Al-Eyman Brigades, the Al-Nukhba Forces, the Abdullah Azzam Group and the Usood Al-Tawheed Brigade.

Faruq al-Suri is the leader of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HAD). Al-Suri is a veteran member of al-Qa’ida (AQ), having been active in the terrorist organization for decades. He was a senior paramilitary trainer with AQ senior leader Sayf al-Adl in Afghanistan in the 1990s, and trained fighters for AQ in Iraq from 2003 to 2005. Al-Suri was previously detained in Lebanon from 2009 to 2013, and afterwards became the military commander of al-Nusrah Front. He left the al-Nusrah Front in 2016. On September 10, 2019, the Department of State designated al-Suri as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist under Executive Order 13224.

Sami al-Uraydi is a senior sharia official for Hurras al-Din (HAD). Al-Uraydi previously was involved in terrorist plots against the United States and Israel. Al-Uraydi is a member of HAD’s shura, the group’s senior decision-making body. Al-Uraydi was al-Nusrah Front’s senior sharia official from 2014 to 2016, and left the group in 2016. Hurras al-Din is an al-Qa’ida-affiliated group that emerged in Syria in early 2018 after several factions broke away from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HAD leadership, including al-Uraydi remains loyal to AQ and its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

Abu ‘Abd al-Karim al-Masri is a veteran member of al-Qa’ida (AQ) and a senior leader of Hurras al-Din (HAD). In 2018, al-Masri, was a member of HAD’s shura, the group’s senior decision-making body, and served as a mediator between it and the al-Nusrah Front. Hurras al-Din is an al-Qa’ida-affiliated group that emerged in Syria in early 2018 after several factions broke away from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). HAD leadership, including al-Masri remains loyal to AQ and its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

One State in the region assessed that HAD, given its size, ideology and the capabilities of its veterans, presented a growing threat to peace and security regionally and globally, and that its leadership planned to revive external operations targeting Western and United States interests wherever possible. The joint “Incite the believers” operations room includes HTS, HAD, Jaysh Ansar Al-Tawheed and other groups currently active in the north-east of the Syrian Arab Republic. HAD exerted substantial control over the room’s operations.

States reported that, parallel to its military operations and attacks in Aleppo, Hama, Idlib and Ladhiqiyah, HAD was also conducting proselytization activities through an association called the Duat al-Tawhid Centre, led by Abu Usamah al-Shawkani (not listed). HAD raised funds locally and online using Telegram and WhatsApp as part of a wider fundraising campaign launched in mid-May 2019. Member States expressed concerns that this might give HAD access to international financial support.

On 10 September 2019, acting under the authority of and in accordance with section 1(a)(ii)(A) of Executive Order 13224 of September 23, 2001, as amended by Executive Order 13268 of July 2, 2002, Executive Order 13284 of January 23, 2003, and the Executive Order titled “Modernizing Sanctions to Combat Terrorism” effective September 10, 2019, Michael R. Pompeo determined that the person known as Hurras al-Din, also known as Guardians of Religion, also known as Tanzim Hurras al-Din, also known as Tandhim Hurras al-Deen, also known as Hurras al-Deen, also known as Sham al-Ribat, also known as Al-Qaida in Syria, also known as AQ-S, is a foreign person who has committed or has attempted to commit, or poses a significant risk of committing, or has participated in training to commit, acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the United States.

Consistent with the determination in section 10 of Executive Order 13224 that prior notice to persons determined to be subject to the Order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States would render ineffectual the blocking and other measures authorized in the Order because of the ability to transfer funds instantaneously, I determine that no prior notice needs to be provided to any person subject to this determination who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, because to do so would render ineffectual the measures authorized in the Order.

Hurras al-Din (HaD) is a Sunni Islamist religiously-motivated violent extremist (RMVE) group which was established in Idlib, Syria in early 2018 as part of al-Qa’ida’s global network. HaD adheres to a violent jihadist ideology that encourages violence as a key tactic for pursuing religious and political outcomes aligned with al-Qa’ida’s objectives. By 2024 HaD was likely at its weakest point since its formation, following conflict with Syria-based RMVE group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and operations by US-led coalition forces. HaD has likely expanded its focus from the Idlib region in an effort to evade pressure from HTS and Syrian security forces.

Recent terrorist attacks which can be reliably attributed to HaD include:

• On 4 August 2021, HaD conducted a bombing against a bus in Damascus, killing at least four people.
• On 1 January 2021, HaD conducted a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device and small arms attack against a Russian military base in Raqqah Province. Two Russian soldiers were injured.
• On 10 May 2020, HaD fighters attacked the town of Tanjarah in Sahl al-Gahb. More than 30 Syrian Army soldiers and pro-government fighters were reportedly killed in the engagement. HaD conducted a second attack on Tanjarah on 10 June 2020, temporarily seizing control of the town.

HaD advocates terrorism through its media foundation, Sham al-Ribat Media, including attacks against Western interests. Recent examples include:

• In October 2021, HaD issued a statement addressing the United States and all ‘enemies of Islam’, stating ‘we will wage jihad and not surrender and not go back.’ In this context, ‘jihad’ likely refers to undertaking terrorist acts.
• On 16 May 2021, HaD encouraged attacks on Israeli interests in response to recent events in Israel, stating ‘These events have proven that there is no way to liberate al-Aqsa Mosque and the holy sites and countries of the Muslims except through advocacy, reparation and jihad.’
• On 7 March 2020, HaD leader al-Suri encouraged the group’s fighters to attack Syrian Government forces, saying ‘So horrify them by infiltrating, and terrorise them with raids, and intensify upon them attack after attack, and raid after raid. Stifle their breath with commandos and martyrdom-seekers, and booby-trap the earth from under them, and place traps in the trees and rocks, and turn their night into day and their day into fire.’

HaD’s leader as of 2024, Faruq al-Suri (also known as Abu Hamman al-Shami / Sami Hijazi), is a veteran member of al-Qa’ida who was the military commander of defunct RMVE group Jabhat al-Nusra (also known as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham) until he left the group in 2016. Much of HaD’s leadership have been killed or imprisoned, and the remainder had largely been in hiding since early 2021.

The US State Department designated Hurras al-Din and its amir, Faruq al-Suri, as specially designated global terrorists in September 2019. On 11 April 2023, the Department of State designated Sami Mahmud Mohammed al Uraydi as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist for his leadership role in HaD. The Department’s Rewards for Justice is also offering a reward of up to $5 million for information on the identification or location of al-Uraydi. Hurras al-Din is not designated as a foreign terrorist organization.