, ▁the ▁command ers ▁declared ▁on ▁video ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁still ▁with ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a . ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁one ▁sub - comm ander ▁of ▁the ▁Ra qq a ▁Haw ks ▁Brigade , ▁Ab u ▁Y amen ▁al - M ek o , ▁who ▁reported ly ▁had ▁strong ▁links ▁to ▁the ▁Military ▁Int elligence ▁Director ate , ▁declared ▁his ▁loyal ty ▁to ▁Bash ar ▁al - Ass ad ▁and ▁formed ▁the ▁pro - g overn ment ▁unit ▁" T aj am ou ▁al - Sh am al ". ▁His ▁follow ers ▁consequ ently ▁raised ▁the ▁Ba ' ath ist ▁flag ▁at ▁their ▁headquarters ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁al - F ares . ▁These ▁actions , ▁however , ▁prov oked ▁the ▁i re ▁of ▁J ab hat ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a , ▁which ▁launched ▁a ▁surprise ▁attack ▁on ▁al - F ares ▁two ▁days ▁later ▁and ▁destroyed ▁al - M ek o ' s ▁fa ction , ▁killing ▁or ▁capt uring ▁its ▁members . ▁J ab hat ▁Th u war ▁al - R a qq a ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁declare ▁that ▁it ▁" w ould ▁never ▁allow ▁the ▁regime ▁and ▁its ▁supporting ▁milit ia ▁to ▁re - enter ▁the ▁city ▁[ of ▁Ra qq a ] ▁by ▁any ▁means ". ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 0 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁a ▁sp okes man ▁for ▁the ▁El ite ▁Forces ▁stated ▁that ▁the ▁group