Syrian National Army: Russian View By Kirill Semenov, Russian International Affairs Council In autumn 2017, the Council of the Syrian Islamic Scholars devised an initiative to unite all groups of the Syrian moderate opposition into the Syrian National Army (SNA), which was supposed to become FSA 2.0. The Free Syrian Army (FSA) was the Syrian rebel faction most aligned with the Turkish state since the beginning of the Turkish involvement in the Syrian Civil War. Richard Bennett wrote in 2001 that "three corps [were] formed in 1985 to give the Army more flexibility and to improve combat efficiency by decentralizing the command structure, absorbing at least some of the lessons learned during the Israeli invasion of the Lebanon in 1982. Among them was Haidar, then commander of the Special Forces, and General Shafiq Fayadh, a cousin of the President who had commanded the "crack" 3rd Armored Division for nearly two decades. While Syrian units fought hard whenever the Israelis entered their fields of fire, no attempts appear to have been made to exploit Israeli disorientation and confusion during the initial assault. Brigades are made up of Sunni Syrians and other Arab Sunnis from the Middle Eastern region that adhere to pan-Arab ideals. Damascus, 2000. Indeed, by the late 1950s, the situation had become so bad that Syrian officers regularly disobeyed the orders of superiors who belonged to different ethnic or political groups' writes Pollack. The 1st Brigade was ready by the time of the Syrian war against Israel on May 15, 1948. The cease-fire, which the regime forces have since occasionally violated, is largely intact. From 1976 to 2005 it was the major pillar of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. [9] The 1963 Syrian coup d'état had as one of its key objectives the seizure of the Al-Kiswah military camp, home to the 70th Armored Brigade. The forces carried out a late-night operation to infiltrate the Syrian National Army’s positions in the countryside of Hama, according to sources in the Syrian National Army. "[40], Information from Holliday 2013 suggests that the reserve armored division is the 17th (rather than any other designation), which was responsible for eastern Syria. The 2nd Reserve Armored Division, with the 14th and 15th Armored Brigades and the 19th Mechanized Brigade. These forces would be trained, organized and armed by the Russian Armed Forces, so that they could become "special" ground forces which would retake northernwestern Syria with Russian air support. [32], On June 14, 2013, 73 Syrian Army officers and their families, some 202 people in total, sought refuge in Turkey. Bennett said in 2001 that the corps' principal units were believed to include: three other heavy brigades from the 3rd and 11th Armored Divisions [were] known to be regularly deployed to eastern Lebanon. The Russian forces had also attempted a similar attack on Jan. 11, using unmanned aerial vehicles, followed by illuminating bombs, according to the sources. Syrian national army clashes with ISIS in Idlib and Asayish in Qamishli Shafaq News / three members of the Syrian national army and its allies were killed on Tuesday, by the Islamic factions loyal to Turkey, east of Idlib city. “Today the National Army and National Liberation front are united under the roof of a single regular army under the ministry of defense affiliated with the Syrian … [74], Although the 4th Corps' initial operations such as during the 2015–16 Latakia offensive and Northwestern Syria offensive (October–November 2015)[69][75] were relatively successful, the inclusion of more militias into the corps remained elusive. General Adib Shishakli then held power until deposed in the 1954 Syrian coup d'etat. [23], Cordesman wrote that in 2006 the Syrian Army had "organized two corps that reported to the Land Forces General Staff and the Commander of the Land Force. [17] Most of the repression was carried out by the Defense Companies and the Special Forces. It has fought four wars with Israel (1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, the October War of 1973, and 1982 in Lebanon) and one with Jordan (Black September in Jordan, 1970). It seems likely that the "2nd" designation, reported in 2001, was incorrect, as it has not been reported during the. Now under the name of the Syrian National Army (SNA), it has gathered power. Unique in that’s the first empirical study of its kind, this survey does give us some insight into the Syrian National Army, a militant structure who’s innerworkings are often veiled by its real life lack of structure and the general lack of access to Turkish northern Syria awarded to the international community. After 1970 further Syrian engagements included: The Syrian armed forces have also been involved in suppressing dissident movements within Syria, for example the Islamist uprising in Syria in 1979–1982. 36th, 554th and 556th Special Forces Regiments, 112th, 132nd and 15th Mechanized Brigades, 76th Armored Brigade - now defunt. The regime forces, which suffered heavy losses, had to retreat after the Syrian National Army retaliated. Certain Army (paratroops and special forces) and Air Defense Force personnel may wear camouflage uniforms. [74][71] The remained was grouped into four "volunteer brigades",[citation needed] while several smaller Russian units were assigned to it in a support role. Officer ranks are standard, although the highest is the equivalent of Colonel General, a rank held in 1986 only by the commander in chief and the minister of defense. An armored division was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91 during the Persian Gulf War, but saw little action. Islamist uprising in Syria However, the regime and Iran-backed terrorists captured three of the four regions and headed towards Idlib. The Syrian National Army began sending hundreds of fighters with their weapons to the two engagement fronts in the southeastern countryside of Idlib and the western countryside of Aleppo to help repel the Russian military campaign backed by Iranian militias. The IISS listed smaller formations in 2006 as:[54], According to Joseph Holliday, as of February 2013 the order of battle (at full strength) was:[56], Note: "Special Forces" in the Syrian Arab Army denotes specialized "light" infantry (airborne, air assault) and are "elite" only in relation to the conventional mechanized, armored units of the SAA. Syrian security sources reported. Some of these defectors had formed the Free Syrian Army, engaging in combat with security forces and soldiers in what would turn into the Syrian Civil War. However, the regime forces began military operations to seize the entire region in May 2019 and captured several large residential areas within the Idlib de-escalation zone. The Syrian Army, officially the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) (Arabic: الجيش العربي السوري, romanized: al-Jayš al-ʿArabī as-Sūrī), is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. 1982 Lebanon War [20], On 29 September 2004, Jane's Defence Weekly reported that Syria had begun to redeploy elements of one or more Syrian Army special forces regiments based in the coastal hills a few kilometres south of Beirut in Lebanon. Special Forces were heavily used from the early stage of the Syrian Civil War and as a result suffered heavy casualties, possibly up to three regiments (41st, 46th, 54th) may have been destroyed during the Syrian Civil War, the surviving three regiments were merged to other formations such as the Republican Guard, Tiger Forces and 4th Corps. In 1984, Major General Ali Haidar's Special Forces were instrumental in blocking an abortive attempt by Rifaat Assad and his Defense Companies to seize the capital. the Syrian National Army (SNA). "[16] Hundreds of suspects were rounded up. For detailed information, you can review our cookie policy. [6], At the time of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, the army was small, poorly armed, and poorly trained. [61], Commissioned officers' rank insignia are identical for the army and air force. [79] The Fifth Corps of Volunteers will recruit from over age 18 from across the country "not already eligible for military service or deserters". Up until July 2012, the scale of defections from the Syrian Army, though hard to quantify, was too small to make an impact on the strength of that army, according to Aram Nerguizian from the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. In the aftermath of the Kurdish-Turkish conflict restarting in 2015, the Turkish government became more influential throughout 2016, as other countries began to scale back their … Writing forty years later, Tom Cooper says they were established 'during the 1980s' but "..despite the establishment of.. corps.. most division commanders continued reporting directly to the President. Currently, it is in its first phase, which includes about 10,000 troops primarily from the Euphrates Shield region." The 3rd Armored Division, it seems, had historically been based at al-Qutayfah, near Damascus. Pollack says it is likely that they intended to overthrow the Jordanian monarchy itself. ), Joseph Holliday, 'The Assad Regime: From Counterinsurgency to Civil War,', Hicham Bou Nassif, 'Second Class: the Grievances of Sunni Officers in the Syrian Armed Forces'. , romanized: al-Jayš al-Waṭanī as-Sūrī), also mentioned as the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA), is an armed Syrian opposition structure. As its performance during the 2016 Latakia offensive was lacking, however, its overall commander Maj. Gen. Shuqi Yusuf was dismissed in July 2016. [92], Although some twenty-five orders and medals are authorized, generally only senior officers and warrant officers wear medal ribbons. Business Not as Usual: The Rebellion of Syrian Businessmen Through The Revolution. The former with 8,000 men later grew into both the Syrian and Lebanese armies. [72][69] As result, the 4th Corps remained mostly limited to Latakia, where it continues to be active. In March 1949, the chief of staff, General Husni al-Za'im, installed himself as president. Among the camouflage are Red Lizard, and Syrian Leaf pattern; a locally-made copy of the ERDL. As Syria gained independence in 1946, its leaders envisioned a division-sized army. Despite defeating the Jordanian Army at al-Ramtha on 21 September, after fierce air attacks on 22 September, the Syrians stopped the attack and began to retreat. On June 19, 1947, the Syrian Army took the survivors of Pan Am Flight 121 to the Presbyterian mission hospital at Deir ez-Zor. [24] Additionally, it had about 290,000 reservists. ), 33rd Armored Brigade - transferred from 9th Division, 47th Armored Brigade - transferred from 3rd Division, (an unspecified) Artillery Regiment (89th Artillery Regt listed with the division by Cooper 2015. Mahmoud Alabdulah, a former colonel in the Syrian army's elite 4th Division, is one of hundreds of defectors who have given testimonies to German and French judicial officials collecting evidence of war crimes by the government. "[67], Other divisions in the north and northeast included the 17th Division (HQ Dayr az-Zawyr) Analyst Joseph Holliday wrote in 2013 that "the Assad government has from the beginning of the conflict been unable to mobilize all of its forces without risking largescale defections. The formation of SNA dates back to early December 2017. This force was used primarily as auxiliaries in support of French troops, and senior officer posts were held by Frenchmen, although Syrians were allowed to hold commissions below the rank of major. The National Army mainly operates in the previously majority-Kurdish enclave of Efrin, and is an umbrella of rebel militias tied to a Syrian self-declared government-in-exile in Turkey headed by Salim Idris, a former Free Syrian Army leader. [28] Also in November 2011, the Free Syrian Army or the website of France 24 estimated the Syrian Army at 200,000 troops. ", In 2009 and 2010, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London, the Syrian army comprised 220,000 regular personnel, and the entire armed forces (including the navy, air force and air defenses) had 325,000 regular troops. [27] ... (Army of Victory), part of the National Liberation Front, which is considered one of the most prominent factions of the Syrian National Army. The 1st and 3rd Armored Division, and 5th, 7th, and 9th Mechanized Infantry Divisions were all formed prior to 1973. [37], The 3rd Armored Division has deployed elements of three brigades from its bases around Qutayfah to Deraa, Zabadani, and Hama, while the 11th Armored Division has stayed close to its bases in Homs and Hama. The sources said some Russian soldiers were also wounded. Post-uprising reporting indicated the 1st Armored Division had historically been at al-Kiswah. The Syrian National Army on Thursday thwarted an infiltration attempt by Russian special forces and Bashar al-Assad regime forces on frontlines south of Idlib, Syria. Correspondingly, not only the Chief of Staff of the Syrian Armed Forces but also the Corps HQ exercised only a limited operational control over the Army's divisions. The main goal was to unite all military factions that fought as part of the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch military operations against the Islamic State … A senior Lebanese Army officer told JDW that the 3,000 troops involved would return to Syria. The former with 8,000 men later grew into both the Syrian and Lebanese armies. The 4th Corps project largely failed & the 6th & 2nd Divisions have remained in Latakia since.https://twitter.com/QalaatAlMudiq/status/1063849712829308931 …", "Syrian army forms volunteer corps to fight militants", "Syria army forms new volunteer unit to join anti-terror fight", "Syria launches new commando force as war heats up", "شاهد رمايات مدفعية الجيش العربي السوري على إرهابيي داعش شرقي حمص وتحرير الكتيبة المهجورة الثالثة", "Fifth Attack Troops Corps entered the Syria civil war", "Pictures of Syrian Army units that will lift Deir Ezzor seige [, "Syrian regime forms militia mostly from the ruling party", "Can Assad's Demobilization, Demilitarization, and Rehabilitation Strategy Actually Consolidate Syria's Paramilitary Forces? ... there were about 12,000 men in the Syrian army. [31] By 5 July 2012, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated "tens of thousands" soldiers to have defected. It should be noted that the Hamza Division is one of the largest factions inside the Turkish-backed “Syrian National Army” (SNA), which operations in the northern governorates of Syria. The Syrian National Army (SNA), a Turkish-backed rebel group active in parts of northern Syria, is the main group that is participating in the Turkish-led offensive in northeast Syria. [24][25][26], In 2013, Agence France Press wrote on 'Syria's diminished security forces.'[25]. The National Defense Force is under the control and supervision of the Syrian Army[44] and acts in an infantry role, directly fighting against rebels on the ground and running counter-insurgency operations in co-ordination with the army which provides them logistical and artillery support. [85] According to the Russian International Affairs Council, the Qalamoun Shield Forces also joined the Fifth Corps, though no other sources confirmed this. On 18 September 1970, the Syrian government became involved in Black September in Jordan when it sent a reinforced armored brigade to aid the Palestine Liberation Organization. [10] The army had sixteen brigades: twelve infantry, two armored (probably including the 70th Armored), and two mechanized. groups of the Syrian moderate opposition into the Syrian National Army (SNA), which was supposed to become FSA 2.0. In 2011, the standard issue combat helmets were the olive Chinese QGF-02, and the Soviet SSh-68 for the reserve forces. Holliday's sources include "Skype Interview with exiled former Syrian Army General Officer in Washington, DC on April 19, 2012. [68], Two new corps have been established since the civil war began in 2011. [80][81][82], According to Abdullah Soleiman Ali in al-Safir paper, formation of 'Fifth Attack Troop Corps' is the apex point of cooperation among members of Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition. Syrian National Army thwarts infiltration attempt by Assad regime, Russia dailysabah.com - Anadolu Agency. Operation Desert Storm. Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG/PKK terrorists from northern Syria to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity. In response to the infiltration attempt, Syrian National Army carried out artillery and rocket attacks on the regime positions in Fattira village in the countryside of Hama. [29] According to General Mustafa al-Sheikh, one of the most senior defectors, however, in January 2012 the Syrian forces were estimated at 280,000 including conscripts. By Nawar Shaban, Analyst at Omran Center for Strategic Studies . In addition the 1st Corps included the 61st and 90th independent Infantry Brigades. Volume 1 is 568 pages long and covers the Arab Revolt, the short-lived monarchy under King Feisal bin Hussein, the French Mandate, the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and finally Syrian independence in 1949. [51] Liwa al-Quds is a pro-government, Sunni Palestinian militia that operates in Aleppo. During the Six-Day War Israeli assault of the Golan heights, the Syrian army failed to counterattack the Israelis as the Israelis breached the Syrian positions. "[34] This has resulted in Bashar's following his father's precedent by attaching regular army units to more reliable forces (Special Forces, Republican Guard, or 4th Armored Division). Officers have a variety of headgear, including a service cap, garrison cap, and beret (linen in summer and wool in winter). 10th national Syrian Programming Competition for Universities “SCBC” kicks off. Since 1946, it has played a major role in Syria's governance, mounting six military coups: two in 1949, including the March 1949 Syrian coup d'état and the August 1949 coup by Colonel Sami al-Hinnawi, and one each in 1954, 1963, 1966, and 1970. The Syrian National Army on Thursday thwarted an infiltration attempt by Russian special forces and Bashar al-Assad regime forces on frontlines south of Idlib, Syria. This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/. The Structure of the Syrian National Army. [47] The NDF continues to play a significant role in military operations across Syria despite the formation of other elite units, many of which receive direct assistance from Russia. Meanwhile, the Special Forces were isolating and combing through Hama, killing and capturing suspected government opponents.[18]. Since 2017, nearly 2 million civilians were forced to migrate to regions close to the Turkish border due to attacks by the regime forces. [88][89], The vast majority of Syrian military equipment was Soviet manufactured.[90][91]. Any command changes involving those formations have considerable political significance." The 52nd Armored Brigade was reported in Der'aa in southern Syria in May 2013. Internally, it played a major part in suppressing the 1979–82 Islamist uprising in Syria, and since early 2011 has been heavily engaged in fighting the Syrian Civil War, the most violent and prolonged war the Syrian Army has taken part in since its establishment in the 1940s. [59] Later reports state that two battalions from the 54th regiment serve within the 17th Division. Three 'brigade groups', each comprising four brigades, were deployed: the 12th in the north, holding the sector from the B'nat Ya'acov bridge to the slopes of Mount Hermon, the 35th in the south from the B'nat Ya'acov bridge to the Yarmuk River border with Jordan, and the 42nd in reserve, earmarked for a theater-level counterattack role. "Paris had relied primarily on French regulars to keep the peace in Syria and had neglected indigenous forces. The Syrian Army originated in local military forces formed by the French after World War I, after France obtained a mandate over the region. The most common beret color is black, for infantry, Engineering, Signals and supporting arms personnel, followed by Green, for Armored, Mechanized and Artillery personnel, Red for the Republican Guard and Military Police, and Maroon for the Special Forces. [26] By August 2012, 40 Brigadier generals from the Army had defected to the opposition army, out of a total of 1,200 generals. Talks between Ankara and Moscow were held in Sochi, Russia in September 2018 to consolidate the cease-fire agreement. '[77], Fifth Attack Troop Corps, also called the Fifth Legion,[70] is an all-volunteer force, part of Syrian Army involved in the Syrian Civil War fighting against the Syrian opposition, Al-Qaeda in Syria, and ISIS. In 1919, the French formed the Troupes spéciales du Levant as part of the Army of the Levant in the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. [35] Increasingly, Assad's Alawite base of support refuse to send their sons to the military due to massive casualty rates among military age men in their community; according to pro oppositions sources a third of 250,000 Alawite men of fighting age have been killed in the Syrian Civil War, leading to major tensions between the sect and the Syrian government. He gave the army a message saying he was sure of victory over the rebels.[94]. [42] Following the reported capture of Raqqa on 3–6 March 2013, elements of the 17th Division remained under siege to the north of the city in October 2013.[43]. The troops sealed "off whole quarters and carr[ied] out house-to-house searches, often preceded by tank fire. The source Struggling with reliability issues and defections, officers of the SAA increasingly prefer the part-time volunteers of the NDF, who they regard as more motivated and loyal, over regular army conscripts to conduct infantry operations and act as support for advancing tanks. (an unspecified) Artillery Regiment (both 67th and 123rd Artillery Regiments listed with the division in 2011 by Cooper 2015. [78] The task of the corps is "eliminating terrorism" and was formed "in response to the rapid development of events, to support the successes of armed forces and to meet people's wishes to put an end to terrorist acts in the Syrian Arab Republic," according to the statement announced on 22 November 2016 by the General Command of the Armed Forces of Syria.
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