Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria

Turkistan Islamic Party
الحزب الإسلامي التركستاني
Turkistan Islamic Party; الحزب الإسلامي التركستاني
	Flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party Flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria
Leaders	Abu Omar al-Turkistani † (2012–2017); Abu Rida al-Turkistani † (2017–2017); Ibrahim Mansour (2017–???)[citation needed]; Abu Omar (Kawsar) (???-2025); Zahid (since 2025);
Dates of operation	2011 – 2025 (as a militia)
Motives	To establish an Islamic state in Xinjiang and the entirety of Central Asia, eventually a caliphate
Headquarters	Jisr al-Shughur, Idlib Governorate, Syria
Active regions	Idlib Governorate, Idlib Governorate, ; and Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Ideology	Sunni Islamism; Jihadism; Islamic fundamentalism; Pan-Islamism; Uyghur nationalism; Anti-Russian sentiment; Anti-Chinese sentiment
Status	Dissolved, joined Syrian Army
Size	~4,000
Part of	Turkistan Islamic Party; Battle of Victory (23 April–June 2015); Army of Conquest (2015–2017);
Allies	Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (since 2017) al-Nusra Front (until 2017); ; Junud al-Makhdi; Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (until 2015); East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association; Turkey[needs update];
Opponents	Ba'athist Syria; Hezbollah; Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps; ; Russia; China; United States; United Kingdom; Syrian Democratic Forces;
Battles and wars	Syrian civil war US intervention in the Syrian civil war; Northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015); Al-Ghab offensive (July–August 2015); Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase; Russian military intervention in Syria; Northwestern Syria offensive (October–November 2015); Latakia offensive (2015–2016); Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015); Siege of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya; 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign; Aleppo offensive (July–August 2016); Aleppo offensive (August–September 2016); Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016); Idlib Governorate clashes (January–March 2017); 2017 Hama offensive; Idlib Governorate clashes (July 2017); Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017–February 2018); Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate; 2018 Idlib crisis; Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019); Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020); Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024); 2024 Syrian opposition offensives;
Website	https://www.muhsinlar.net/

The Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria (TIP)^[a] was the Syrian branch of the Turkistan Islamic Party, an armed Uyghur Jihadist group with a presence in the Syrian Civil War. While the TIP has been active in Syria, the organization's core leadership was based in Afghanistan and Pakistan, with a presence in its home territory of China.^[17]

At the Syrian Revolution Victory Conference, which was held on 29 January 2025, most factions of the armed opposition, including the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria, announced their dissolution and were incorporated into the newly formed Ministry of Defense.^[7]

^ Caleb Weiss (14 February 2017). "Uighur jihadist fought in Afghanistan, killed in Syria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 22 February 2017.
^ "مقتل قياديٍ في الحزب الإسلامي التركستانيٍ جراء غاراتٍ روسيةٍ بإدلب · Micro Syria ميكروسيريا". Archived from the original on 13 January 2017.
^ ^a ^b @arslan_hidayat (6 January 2025). "Major General Abdulaziz Dawood (Zahid) has been newly appointed as 'Emir' of the Turkistan Islamic Party's (TIP) Sham (Syria) Branch" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 January 2025 – via Twitter.
^ Sami Moubayed (29 September 2015). Under the Black Flag: At the Frontier of the New Jihad. I.B.Tauris. pp. 161–. ISBN 978-0-85772-921-7.
^ ^a ^b "TIP Division in Syria Releases Video Promoting Cause, Inciting for Jihad". SITE Institute. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.
^ turkistanhaber (6 February 2016). "Türkistan İslam Cemaati'nden Yeni Video " Zafer Sadece Allahtan'dır 2 " |". Doguturkistanbulteni.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
^ ^a ^b "Syrian Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa Delivers 'Victory Speech,' Outlines Syria's Future Roadmap, Announces Dissolution Of Ba'ath Party, Armed Factions Into New 'Syrian Army'; Military Operations Command Declares Al-Sharaa President Of Syria During Transitional Phase". MEMRI. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
^ AP Exclusive: Uighurs fighting in Syria take aim at China. Associated Press. 22 December 2017. "Uighur activists and Syrian and Chinese officials estimate that at least 5,000 Uighurs have gone to Syria to fight — though many have since left. Among those, several hundred have joined the Islamic State, according to former fighters and Syrian officials."
^ team, Reality Check (22 June 2019). "Syria: Who's in control of Idlib?". BBC News.
^ Zelin, Aaron Y. "New video message from al-Muhājirūn: "The Return of Jaysh al-Fataḥ" | JIHADOLOGY: A clearinghouse for jihādī primary source material, original analysis, and translation service". Jihadology.net. Retrieved 13 May 2016.
^ "China's Counter-Terrorism Calculus". Jamestown.
^ "Beijing, Kunming, Urumqi and Guangzhou: The Changing Landscape of Anti-Chinese Jihadists". Jamestown. Jamestown Foundation. 23 May 2014.
^ Zenn, Jacob (10 October 2014). "An Overview of Chinese Fighters and Anti-Chinese Militant Groups in Syria and Iraq". China Brief. 14 (19). The Jamestown Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
^ Lin, Dr Christina (September 2015). "Turkey's Double Standard on Terrorism" (PDF). ISPSW Strategy Series: Focus on Defense and International Security.
^ ^a ^b "Syrian rebels pour men and missiles into frontlines". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved 17 October 2015.
^ Barić, Joško (13 March 2018). "Syrian War Daily – 13th of March 2018". Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
^ "Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria shows more 'little jihadists' | FDD's Long War Journal". FDD's Long War Journal. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2017.

Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

[1] Caleb Weiss (14 February 2017). "Uighur jihadist fought in Afghanistan, killed in Syria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 22 February 2017.

[auto-2] "مقتل قياديٍ في الحزب الإسلامي التركستانيٍ جراء غاراتٍ روسيةٍ بإدلب · Micro Syria ميكروسيريا". Archived from the original on 13 January 2017.

[Zahid-3] @arslan_hidayat (6 January 2025). "Major General Abdulaziz Dawood (Zahid) has been newly appointed as 'Emir' of the Turkistan Islamic Party's (TIP) Sham (Syria) Branch" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 January 2025 – via Twitter.

[Moubayed2015-4] Sami Moubayed (29 September 2015). Under the Black Flag: At the Frontier of the New Jihad. I.B.Tauris. pp. 161–. ISBN 978-0-85772-921-7.

[turkestan-5] "TIP Division in Syria Releases Video Promoting Cause, Inciting for Jihad". SITE Institute. 6 June 2014. Retrieved 26 June 2014.

[doguturkistanbulteni.com-6] turkistanhaber (6 February 2016). "Türkistan İslam Cemaati'nden Yeni Video " Zafer Sadece Allahtan'dır 2 " |". Doguturkistanbulteni.com. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2016.

[memri-7] "Syrian Leader Ahmed Al-Sharaa Delivers 'Victory Speech,' Outlines Syria's Future Roadmap, Announces Dissolution Of Ba'ath Party, Armed Factions Into New 'Syrian Army'; Military Operations Command Declares Al-Sharaa President Of Syria During Transitional Phase". MEMRI. Retrieved 29 January 2025.

[8] AP Exclusive: Uighurs fighting in Syria take aim at China. Associated Press. 22 December 2017. "Uighur activists and Syrian and Chinese officials estimate that at least 5,000 Uighurs have gone to Syria to fight — though many have since left. Among those, several hundred have joined the Islamic State, according to former fighters and Syrian officials."

[9] team, Reality Check (22 June 2019). "Syria: Who's in control of Idlib?". BBC News.

[10] Zelin, Aaron Y. "New video message from al-Muhājirūn: "The Return of Jaysh al-Fataḥ" | JIHADOLOGY: A clearinghouse for jihādī primary source material, original analysis, and translation service". Jihadology.net. Retrieved 13 May 2016.

[jamestown.org-11] "China's Counter-Terrorism Calculus". Jamestown.

[Jamestown_Foundation-12] "Beijing, Kunming, Urumqi and Guangzhou: The Changing Landscape of Anti-Chinese Jihadists". Jamestown. Jamestown Foundation. 23 May 2014.

[13] Zenn, Jacob (10 October 2014). "An Overview of Chinese Fighters and Anti-Chinese Militant Groups in Syria and Iraq". China Brief. 14 (19). The Jamestown Foundation. Archived from the original on 22 November 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2015.

[14] Lin, Dr Christina (September 2015). "Turkey's Double Standard on Terrorism" (PDF). ISPSW Strategy Series: Focus on Defense and International Security.

[The_Fiscal_Times-15] "Syrian rebels pour men and missiles into frontlines". The Fiscal Times. Retrieved 17 October 2015.

[16] Barić, Joško (13 March 2018). "Syrian War Daily – 13th of March 2018". Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 15 March 2018.

[18] "Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria shows more 'little jihadists' | FDD's Long War Journal". FDD's Long War Journal. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 29 January 2017.

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Turkistan Islamic Party الحزب الإسلامي التركستاني
Flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party Flag of the Turkistan Islamic Party in Syria
Leaders	Abu Omar al-Turkistani † (2012–2017)^[1] Abu Rida al-Turkistani † (2017–2017)^[2] Ibrahim Mansour (2017–???)^{[citation needed]} Abu Omar (Kawsar) (???-2025)^[3] Zahid (since 2025)^[3]
Dates of operation	2011 – 2025 (as a militia)
Motives	To establish an Islamic state in Xinjiang and the entirety of Central Asia, eventually a caliphate^[4]
Headquarters	Jisr al-Shughur, Idlib Governorate, Syria^[5]^[6]
Active regions	Idlib Governorate, Idlib Governorate, and Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Ideology	Sunni Islamism Jihadism Islamic fundamentalism Pan-Islamism Uyghur nationalism Anti-Russian sentiment Anti-Chinese sentiment
Status	Dissolved, joined Syrian Army^[7]
Size	~4,000^[8]^[9]
Part of	Turkistan Islamic Party Battle of Victory (23 April–June 2015) Army of Conquest (2015–2017)^[10]
Allies	Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (since 2017) al-Nusra Front (until 2017)^[11] Junud al-Makhdi Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (until 2015)^[12] East Turkistan Education and Solidarity Association^[13] Turkey^[14]^{[needs update]}
Opponents	Ba'athist Syria^[5] Hezbollah^[15] Iran Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps^[15] Russia China United States United Kingdom Syrian Democratic Forces
Battles and wars	Syrian civil war US intervention in the Syrian civil war Northwestern Syria offensive (April–June 2015) Al-Ghab offensive (July–August 2015) Siege of Abu al-Duhur Airbase Russian military intervention in Syria Northwestern Syria offensive (October–November 2015) Latakia offensive (2015–2016) Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015) Siege of al-Fu'ah and Kafriya 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Aleppo offensive (July–August 2016) Aleppo offensive (August–September 2016) Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016) Idlib Governorate clashes (January–March 2017) 2017 Hama offensive Idlib Governorate clashes (July 2017) Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017–February 2018) Turkish military operation in Idlib Governorate^[16] 2018 Idlib crisis Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019) Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020) Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024) 2024 Syrian opposition offensives
Website	https://www.muhsinlar.net/