Your Guide to the Syrian Civil War: An Analysis of the Forces Fighting in Syria
Hello all,
The following information of which i will present is an analysis of the fighting forces involved in Syria's bloody civil war. This piece will be
structured under the titles of Pro-Syrian Government and Anti-Syrian Government.
I hope you enjoy it.
Pro-Syrian Government
The following forces fight for the government of Bashar al-Assad, attempting to ensure its stability into the future.
Syrian Armed Forces:
The Syrian Armed Forces are the official military forces of Syria, composing of the Syrian Army, Syrian Navy, Syrian Air Force, and the Syrian Air
Defence Force. Currently, the forces are committed to destroying the opponents of the Syrian Government, most notably, the Free Syrian Army.
As of 2013, the Syrian Armed Forces are said to have violated many human rights, allegedly committing: unlawful killing, torture (physical and
psychological), arbitrary arrest, deployment of tanks and helicopter gunships in densely populated areas, heavy and indiscriminate shelling of
civilian areas, collective punishment, enforced disappearances, the systematic denial (in some areas) of food and water, and the prevention of medical
treatment, including to children.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
globalfirepower.com...
en.wikipedia.org...
Al-Jaysh al-Sha’bi:
Al-Jaysh al-Sha’bi was established in 2012 purely to support the Syrian government in its bid to destroy the opposition fighters during the current
civil war. According to the US government, Al-Jaysh al-Sha’bi was established and is still maintained by Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guards-Quds Force who provide it with supplies, weapons, funding and tactics.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
www.guardian.co.uk...
www.theaustralian.com.au...
Shabiha:
Shabiha was established during the 1980′s by the ruling family of Syria, the Assads. Members of the Shabiha are believed to include government
loyalist (criminal) gangs, mercenaries, security forces, informants and impoverished youths.
The Shabiha’s members operate in civilian clothing and undertake action against opponents of the Syrian regime. The Shabiha is believed to have been
behind many of the civilian massacres in Syria.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
security.blogs.cnn.com...
www.businessweek.com...
Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas (al-Abbas brigade):
The al-Abbas brigade was established in 2012 mainly in retaliation to the destruction of religious mosques and shrines by the opponents of the Syrian
regime. The brigade is closely aligned with the Syrian army and maintains a defensive role in the Syrian civil war.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
www.guardian.co.uk...
www.reuters.com...
National Defence Force:
The NDF was established by the Syrian government (with the aid of Iran according to the USA) in 2012. The sole purpose of the NDF is to engage the
enemy in infantry combat. The NDF is mostly made up of Syrian minority groups such as Alawites, Christians, and Druze. Members receive equipment and
salaries from the government for their role in the war.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
www.reuters.com...
Lijan Militias:
The Lijan militias are government supported militias who’s main role is to man the many checkpoints in government controlled cities. The militias
originally emerged as civilian vigilante groups, and have been accused of committing executions and revenge killings.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
www.reuters.com...
Army of the Guardians of the Islamic Revolution (Revolutionary Guards):
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards are elite soldiers who hold the duty of protecting the religious Islamic system of Iran. Their involvement in Syria is a
shadowy one, with General Ismail Qa’ani, deputy-commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Quds Force stating that “If the Islamic Republic
was not present in Syria, the massacre of civilians would have been twice as bad.”
In addition to the Revolutionary Guards; the Basij, a militia as set up and directed by the Guards are also involved in Syria’s civil war. They have
participated in many of the same operations as the Revolutionary Guards themselves.
It is believed that the Revolutionary Guards (including the Basij) were involved in the capture of Qusair from rebel forces on June 9.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
en.wikipedia.org...-Present
english.alarabiya.net...
in.reuters.com...
Hezbollah:
Hezbollah is is a Shi’a Islamic militant group and political party which is based in Lebanon. The group is officially supported by both the Iranian
and Syrian governments, and as such, is involved in Syria’s civil war.
Hezbollah’s involvement in Syria’s civil war has been subject to much speculation since the beginning of the war itself. On May 25th, 2013
however, it was officially confirmed by the leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah that the group had entered the war against Islamic extremists
(referring to the opponents of the Assaf regime). The organisation is currently operating in the rebel stronghold of Aleppo.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
news.yahoo.com...
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command (PFLP-GC):
The PFLP-GC was founded in 1968 by Ahmed Jibril as a small Palestinian nationalist militant organization based in Syria. The group has been strong
supporters of the Assad regime in Syria, waging many battles with the rebel forces. According to numerous sources, many men defected following beliefs
that the group had altered its role into a direct fighting force for the regime itself.
Sources:
en.wikipedia.org...
www.maannews.net...
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