Sunni Militant Groups in Iraq Form New Political Coalition

Via CT Blog -

In the wake of the recent and very public rift between the Sunni Islamic Army of Iraq (IAI) and Al-Qaida's "Islamic State", yet more cracks are suddenly beginning to show in the unified jihadist coalition that Al-Qaida has been trying to assemble in Sunni regions of Iraq. Today, the IAI--along with factions from at least two other predominant Sunni militant groups, the Mujahideen Army and the notorious Ansar al-Sunnah Army--have officially announced the formation of their own separate political coalition: "The Reformation and Jihad Front" (RJF).

This new front would seem to be a direct challenge to the authority of Al-Qaida's "Islamic State" and is said to enjoy support from Sunni Islamist circles (like Ansar al-Sunnah) which have, in the past, worked closely with Al-Qaida. The new "Reformation and Jihad Front" is also courting the involvement of the 1920 Revolution Brigades, though it is--as of yet--unclear what their reaction has been.

It should be noted that the RJF appears to be disproportionately influenced by the IAI. The new RJF Internet website was registered and paid for by IAI online couriers. Meanwhile, the founding statement from the RJF strongly echoes many of IAI's recent complaints about Al-Qaida in Iraq--the document waxes on about the need to safeguard the wealth and lives of innocent Muslims, avoiding the pitfalls of fanaticism, and the adoption of realistic political goals that are in tune with the present geopolitical circumstances.

Certainly, the RJF is no friend of America, or of democracy in Iraq--but should it succeed, it will present an existential political threat to the future of Al-Qaida in Iraq. In fact, it is arguably a far more significant setback for Al-Qaida than anything achieved thus far by the so-called "Anbar Salvation Council" or other such recent darlings of the media.

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According to the RJF website, Abdallah Bin Mohammad Al-Zubaydi is their official media spokesman.

That is "عبدالله بن محمد الزبيدي" for those keeping tabs in Arabic (written right to left, of course).