Liwa al-Islam was established by Zahran Alloush , the son of Saudi-based religious scholar Abdullah Mohammed Alloush , after Syrian authorities released him from prison in mid-2011 , where he had been serving time for his Salafist activism . The group claimed responsibility for carrying out the July 2012 Damascus bombing that killed Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha , Deputy Defense Minister Asef Shawkat , and Assistant Vice President Hassan Turkmani . Liwa al-Islam was a driving force behind actions in the Damascus region . It cooperated and conducted joint operations with the al-Nusra Front
July 2012 Damascus bombing
18 July 2012 Damascus bombing
Jaysh al-Islam