The establishment of the organisation was announced on 7 December 2012 with the backing of western and Arab powers as a means of financing and arming Syrian rebel forces.

The participants elected a 30-member Supreme Military Council, which then selected Brigadier General Salim Idris as Chief of Staff.

[6][3] The 30 members of the council were divided in groups of six, with each group representing one of five fronts: Southern (Daraa, Damascus, and as-Suwayda), Western (Hama, Latakia and Tartus), Northern (Aleppo and Idlib), Eastern (Deir ez-Zor, al-Hasakah and Raqqa), and Central (Homs and al-Rastan).

[3] The council was created with the backing of western powers and many Arab states as a vehicle to finance and arm rebel groups.

[10] Between 6 and 7 December 2013, the al-Nusra Front and/or the ISIL raided warehouses under direct control of the SMC at the Bab al-Hawa Border Crossing with Turkey and captured weapons and equipment.