Previous writings have explored the lives of a number of deceased and living members of the Islamic State affiliate Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed that is located in the Yarmouk Basin. So far, those profiles have not documented individuals with origins from the east Deraa countryside (i.e. the area of rebel-held territory in Deraa province east of the strip of government-controlled territory running down the centre of the province). This post looks into two individuals of Jaysh Khalid bin al-Waleed from an east Deraa countryside town called al-Karak al-Sharqi: Abu Hussein al-Karaki and Abu Yahya al-Karaki. As far as is known, they are the only two people from the town who joined the group.
The main families in al-Karak al-Sharqi are:
- al-Sakri
- al-Rashidat
- al-Nu'ama
- al-Shanur
- al-Khalayafa
- al-Asafira
Of these families, the al-Asafira have affiliations with the al-Nu'aim tribe, while the al-Sakris have affiliations with the al-Rabaya'a tribe.
The main factions in the town are:
- Liwa al-Shaheed Emad Nasrallah, affiliated specifically with Jaysh Ahrar al-Asha'ir, which maintains particularly close relations with Jordan.
- Liwa A'isha Umm al-Mu'mineen, which declared in July 2017 that it joined Jaysh al-Islam's southern sector.
- First Regiment- Artillery, affiliated with the coalition of the Southern Front.
There is also a more minor presence for the faction Jund al-Malahem.