[8][7] In June 2013, the Guardians of the Revolution merged with several other FSA groups under the authority of the Supreme Military Council to form the 33rd Infantry Division, led by Lieutenant Colonel Ammar Dayoub.

[4] Soon after its formation, Ahrar al-Sham expelled the 33rd Infantry Division from the frontlines with the Syrian Army along the Aleppo-Latakia highway in Idlib, declaring its refusal to fight alongside more secular FSA groups.

[4] On 5 July 2013, units of the 33rd Infantry Division were deployed to the town of al-Dana after fighters of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant reportedly opened fire on anti-ISIL protesters.

Clashes broke out between the two groups, and resulted ISIL beheading a commander of the 33rd Division, and taking full control of the town.

[7] In February 2015, according to pro-government Al-Masdar News, the al-Nusra Front attacked the 7th Special Forces Brigade of the 101st Division in the Idlib countryside and captured a large amount of weapons and other supplies.