When Ahmed Abu Zaid was an archeology student, he joined the Free Syrian Army. “I came here to ask after a warrior from my brigade who was injured in a conflict that took place in Han-ül Asel. Then I will go back to war,” he says.
ORSAM: Could you tell us about yourself and your life in Syria before the civil war?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: My name is Ahmed Abu Zaid. I am nineteen years old. I study archeology at university. I am a freshman. I am a warrior of Jundullah Brigade in Idlib.
We took part in demonstrations in early months of the revolution. We started to write things on the walls of state buildings. The regime violently reacted to we had done. Then the revolution was launched after seeing that the women in our country were raped, everywhere was bombed and set on fire, and the people were forced to emigrate through this system.
ORSAM: As the life went on as it was, what was the reason that you have been participating in the demonstrations and the revolution since the beginning of the revolution?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: The first and foremost reason was the fact that the system did not allow us to serve the God in a good way. Because in case one of us went to mosque more than once, they sent him to political security office and investigate. This was the main reason why I participated in demonstrations right after the outbreak of the revolution. I could not put up with this situation due to my religious believes.
ORSAM: Could you tell us what you went through in Syria and what happened in Syria?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: In Syria, I live in Bab El-Hewa / Sarmada. The first conflict I participated is the Bab El-Hewa conflict. This conflict is called “Muhammad Razzouk” conflict. Thank God, 30 tanks were attacked in this conflict. A victory was declared at the end. The conflict lasted for 12 hours. During this time, the army of regime destroyed some 30 houses in Sarmada. The houses where mostly children and women lived in were destroyed. Because the area was bombarded randomly.
ORSAM: As an ordinary citizen, how did you join the Jundullah Brigade? And how did you get in touch with this brigade?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: Some of my relatives, uncles and I established the Jundullah Brigade. We set out to join the revolution. All of my uncles (Thank God) were martyrized. The idea of Jihad scares people. Although especially parents worry about their children, it was the just the contrary for me. My mother encouraged me, and got upset at me when I did not go. Don't be surprised. We are three siblings. One of us works in an information office, I am a warrior, and the third one is at home.
Thankfully, the regime forces could not enter in Sarmada. Over twenty tanks came from tarib Al-Muharrara to enter in Sarmada. They were stopped at the crossroad. They could not enter in Sarmada due to the fact that there were lots of mujahids, and they were powerful as well as patient. A great number of mujahids came to join us. They joined jihad along with us. We prevented the army of tyrant from entering in Sarmada. When a warrior is in any war, he does not think of death. On the contrary, he is ready for ready eve before the death itself comes.
ORSAM: What is the reason that beings you over here, and when did you come?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: I came here to ask after a warrior from my brigade who p injured in a conflict that took place in the police academy in Han-ül Asel. He has been undergoing a treatment in a hospital in Antakya. After I see him, I will go back to war. We have been fighting for four months now.
The Police Academy is the last headquarter in Aleppo. We will also seize the control of Aleppo province and then the Staff College located in the entrance of Aleppo, if God allows, after seizing here. Here is known as one of the most important areas of Syria due to the fact that there are trained soldiers and ammunition. The Police Academy has been under siege for 4 months, and major conflicts have been taking place around the school.
ORSAM: Why the Aleppo Polis Academy and Staff Academy have not yet been besieged?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: The regime provides full support. Ten tanks come every other day for the support. Thank God, we have destroyed thirty tanks, and killed some 350 troops so far. In the last conflict that has been going on for a week, three warriors in Jundullah Brigade have been martyrized and five other warriors have been injured. On the other hand, 35 Republican Guards from the 109th Brigade were killed. The aforementioned losses took place while besieging BMB, within which Jundullah Brigade is found and which was attacked by the regime forces.
ORSAM: How do you assess the attitude of Al-Nusrat Front Brigade on seizing the control of the Police Academy? Is there any attempt for support in this terms?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: In the beginning, I was with the Al-Nusrat Front Brigade. The commander of the aforesaid Brigade is Abu Muhammad El-Absi. However, this brigade only attacks the areas with spoils due to the fact that it is not strong enough. However, there is no spoil in the Police Academy. Still, we asked for their help. The Al-Nusrat Front now besieges the Menegh, Menegh and Al-Nayrab Airports.
ORSAM: What is the latest situation in the Staff Academy?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: Hopefully it will be our next target after the fall of Police Academy.
ORSAM: Does Al-Nusrat Front considers besieging the Staff Academy as a spoil?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: I do not know. When we asked for their help, they supported us once and they were martyrized. They have not come anymore. Because the police academy is a strong and a challenging front. It is one of the most challenging fronts of the Syrian army, and all of them here are Alawite, Shiite and Iranian. None of them is Sunni.
ORSAM: So, you suggest that those in the Police Academy are all Alawite. Are Alawites enemy?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: No, not all of them. Some of them take sides with us. While fighting in Harim, an Alawite officer from Kafaria village was fought along with us, and he was martyrized. The sectarian perception in the outside world does not exist in Syria. However, those who commit homicide will pay it back. There is no sectarianism in Syria. The sectarianism is spread by the regime itself, and it is carried out by the press of the liar regime itself.
ORSAM: Why has the revolution lasted so long? In other words, what is the factor that prolongs the life of the regime?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: Due to our deficiencies, God does not change how they currently are as long as a society does not change itself. But hopefully the victory is close, and this is not going to last for so long.
ORSAM: Isn't that a sentence repeated very frequently?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: No, it is certain this time. Because we are going to implement an airspace prohibition. From the beginning of the revolution, we promised the Syrian people without any external support that we would implement an airspace prohibition. We are going to realize it on our own. Yesterday, a raid was carried out on the Menegh military zone. In addition, conflicts took place in Kweyris and al-Nayrab military airports. Raids will be made on those two airports, and airspace prohibition will be implemented. When it takes place, the regime will be toppled if God allows. Hopefully, the airspace prohibition will take place all across Syria. All of the airports in Syria are under siege. The regime has been bombarding the country by firing missiles and artilleries.
ORSAM: We hear that the regime has been firing Scud missiles for the last two days. Is this true?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: The Scud missiles are fired from Homs Al Kuseyr, which is the missile base located near Damascus. When this missile lands, it destroys an area of 1 kilometer. Izaz, Daret Azze and Han Elasel were attached through these missiles. By the way, the wide fields owned by prominent merchants of Aleppo are located in Han Elasel. Those fields were all destroyed. There's nothing left behind. The regime does not care about or attaches importance to anyone. It releases 2000 Syrians in exchange for 46 Iranians.
ORSAM: Why has it taken this long to besiege the Police Academy?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: There was a person in the Police Academy in Han Elasel who fought along with us. We called him Dayı, his name was Muhammad Cisriye. He was an employee of the Shabiha army of the regime in the past. He was tasked with killing Sheikh Salah in Hazano. However, he proved his loyalty to Sheikh, and he formed a brigade. This has been one of the strongest brigades Then, this brigade started to steal, plunder, and commit various crimes. Han Elasel also took part in conflicts along with us. We could not gain a victory due to the fact that this trouble maker brigade took sides with us. Long with a collaborator in the brigade, they left the Free Syrian Army and went back to army of the regime a week ago. That is the very reason why the victory was delayed. Unfortunately, there are lots of people in Syria in the same situation. We will follow and destroy them. Those opportunist brigades impede the victory. Hopefully, we are going to clear all trouble makers within the Free Syrian Army. We are going to band together and join our forces.
ORSAM: According to the opposition abroad, following the trouble makers within the Free Syrian Army means overlooking the regime which is the main enemy. What do you think about that?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: There are relative people to liquidate the trouble makers. This is not the job of the whole Free Syrian Army. The leaders of some bad brigades were liquidated a couple of months ago. Certain people within the Free Syrian Army were liquidated on the grounds that they committed theft, plundered in Ebil Hac Brigade in Munbuch as well as in Idlib and Western Aleppo, and destroyed the dignity of the Free Syrian Army.
ORSAM: What do you think about the Damascus War? What is your role in this war?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: We cannot go to Damascus by leaving our positions here, and we cannot join them on a real basis. Our role here is to persevere and to occupy the forces of system and not to give them opportunity to kill the people in Damascus. After cleaning our area from the regime forces, we will pass to another area. The Damascus War was decided through a coordination among the military council of Damascus and the Rural Brigades, and they started to fight. We are along with them and support them. But we perform qualified tasks. We have a difficult task in Sarmada. Because we are going to plant bombs all around the walls surrounding the Police Academy, which is the most difficult operation. It is going to be carried out by 10 people within the Jundullah Brigade. Them a raid will be made and we will be ready to move to another region in Syria. Because our personnel have extensive knowledge and experience.
ORSAM: Some members of the Free Syrian Army got desperate and it appears that they will leave the Free Syrian Army. What do you think about it?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: They got desperate due to the fact that they cannot receive support from the world and Arab countries, lack of ammunition, the destruction, and that they lost their homes. This is not a good way of thinking. The only thing that will deter them from leaving the Free Syrian Army is the support and support. Especially the support to be provided to those who lost their brothers, sisters, uncles, parents and could not receive anything in return. Supporting them is the only way that would bring them back to the Free Syrian Army.
ORSAM: What do you think about the officers who stay in Turkey and Jordan abroad after leaving the regime forces.
Ahmed Abu Zaid: The officers leaving the army of the regime could have been helpful in teaching the volunteers within the Free Syrian Army on how to carry weapons and the battle plans. Why do they flee abroad?
I took part in the Bab Al-Hawa conflict. I could only shoot three missiles through a Russian weapon. I learned how to shoot weapon by frequently taking part in the conflicts.
I cannot do a battle plan like an officer.
ORSAM: What do you think about the aid provided by Turkey?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: The Syrian people maintain their life through flour, sugar, rice and all kind of food products provided by Turkey to Sarmada – Bab Al-Hawa. The aforesaid aid is distributed all around Syria. Thank God, the bread bakeries started work again through the flour provided by the Turkish government. We heard from the pro-regime media channels that there is no flour left in Syria due to Turkey's plundering. We see for ourselves that flour trucks enter in Syria from Turkey. The Syrian media is liar and lost its legitimacy as from the very first day of the revolution. Thank God, the Turkish government has provided us more support than any other Arab State. We expect more aid from the Turkish government.
ORSAM: What are your expectations from Turkey?
Ahmed Abu Zaid: When the MIG planes bombarded the refugee camps, Turkey should have responded to this. Because the MIG planes entered in the Turkish airspace. Turkey could have shot the planes entering in its airspace. They could have made the plane crash like Syria had made a Turkish plane crash in Mediterranean. I hope that Turkey carries out a military intervention.
*This interview was conducted by Lina Zekeriya Saguj in Reyhanlı district of Hatay on 12 February 2013.
