Lions of the East Army
| Lions of the East Army | |
|---|---|
| جيش أسود الشرقية Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya | |
Logo of the group. | |
| Leaders |
|
| Dates of operation | August 2014 – February 2022
|
| Active regions | Since April 2018:
Until April 2018: |
| Ideology | See ideology section |
| Size |
|
| Part of | Authenticity and Development Front (formerly) Free Syrian Army
|
| Allies | Forces of Martyr Ahmad al-Abdo Revolutionary Commando Army Army of Free Tribes Jaysh al-Islam Al-Qaratayn Martyrs Brigade |
| Opponents | Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Syrian Armed Forces |
| Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War |
| Website | https://asoodalsharqia.wordpress.com/ |
The Lions of the East Army (Arabic: جيش أسود الشرقية; Jaysh Usud al-Sharqiya) was a Syrian rebel group formerly affiliated with the Free Syrian Army's Southern Front that was formed in August 2014 and was based in southeastern Syria. Many of the group's fighters were al-Shaitat tribesmen from the Deir ez-Zor Governorate. The group was also active in Damascus city between January and July 2015, when its unit in Damascus merged into Jaysh al-Islam's 8th Brigade. It mainly focused on defeating the Islamic State in the eastern Syrian Desert, where it gained control over large areas since 2016.