"FSA includes different ethnicities, and they all want a united and free Syria", though supported the invasion of Afrin on grounds that the PYD's People's Protection Units (YPG) are "terrorist" in nature, "killed Kurds and left them homeless", and "bred tyrannical regimes". Organization and support By 2016, the Descendants of Saladin Brigade claimed to have 600 members, primarily Kurdish, with one third of its fighters being Arabs and Syrian Turkmen, in addition to one Christian and one Alawite fighter. They along with the Dhi Qar Brigade were part of Division 99 in 2016. For most of its existence, the entire militia was led by Mahmoud Khallo (nom de guerre "Abu Hamza") who was one of its founders and a long-time opponent of the PYD. After his removal from command in 2017, leadership of the remaining Saladin Brigade passed to Mohammed Hawash, a member of a Kurdish tribe from the Idlib countryside. Masoud Ibo, former spokesman of the Descendants of Saladin Brigade, also joined Hawash's group. In November 2017, Ibo condemned Ibrahim Biro, head of the Kurdish National Council. Ibo stated in February 2018 that the group will try to avoid civilian casualties during the Turkish military operation in Afrin. It is unknown how many fighters of the group have remained active following the disbandment of 2017. Hawash stated in early 2018 that his unit would try to recruit Kurds from the areas captured by pro-Turkish forces in the Afrin area. Members of the Descendants of Saladin Brigade were described as "gangs" by the pro-SDF newspapers such as Hawar News Agency. ARA News reported in April 2017 that the group had "minimal support" among Kurds in Syria and only had a "small number of fighters". History The group's commander, Mahmoud Khallo, was previously a commander in the Yusuf al-'Azma Brigade, based around Qabasin and the countryside of al-Bab. At one time, Khallo was also imprisoned by the YPG for 19 months. In response to the formation of the Syrian Democratic Forces in October 2015, and its expansion into Afrin Canton in November 2015, Khallo called the SDF "agents of the Syrian regime". Masoud Ibo, spokesman of the group, also called the PYD "an integral part of Bashar al-Assad’s Ba'athist regime". Following the northern Aleppo offensive in February 2016, which involved the SDF, the Descendants of Saladin Brigade called the SDF a "Satanic alliance" and vowed to fight it "until the last