Liwa al-Quds
Liwa al-Quds | |
---|---|
لواء القدس | |
Counter-terrorism | |
Size | c. 5,000-7,000 (2022)[2][3] |
Garrison/HQ | Aleppo, Daraa[4][5] |
Engagements |
|
Commanders | |
Current Commander | Col. Muhammad al-Sa'eed (a.k.a. "The Engineer")[5] |
Notable commanders | Col. Mohammad Rafi †[6][7] |
Liwa al-Quds (
Command structure
- Al-Quds Brigade (2021)
- Lions of al-Quds Battalion[4]
- Defenders of Aleppo Battalion[9]
- Deterrence Battalion[5]
- Lions of al-Shahba Battalion[10]
Combat history
The militia was founded in 2013, reportedly with the support of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate. Syrian opposition supporters regard them as Shabiha.[11]
By the beginning of 2015, the group had suffered 200 killed and over 400 wounded since its establishment.[5] The group supported the Syrian Army in its effort to reopen the main supply line to Aleppo in late 2015.[12]
By mid-2016, it had become one of the most important pro-government militias in Aleppo Governorate. On 20 June 2016, the militia took part in a prisoner exchange with three rebel factions, namely the Sultan Murad Division, the Muntasir Billah Brigade, and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, in coordination with Ahrar al-Sham.[11]
In June 2017, Liwa al-Quds launched a recruitment campaign in Homs Governorate, where it aimed at enlisting young Palestinian refugees.[13][14]
In May 2018 Liwa al-Quds was fighting against the ISIL pocket in the desert of
In July 2018, Samer Rafe, a prominent commander of the militia, was arrested in Latakia after a
In the first half of 2019, Liwa al-Quds suffered heavy casualties on multiple fronts, most notably during
Compostition
The brigade has both
By 2018, the group had started recruiting former
See also
- List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War
- Palestinians in Syria
References
- ^ a b "The Jamestown Foundation: October 2014 Briefs". The Jamestown Foundation.
- ^ "Country information and guidance: the Syrian civil war, Syria, August 2020" (PDF). 10 August 2020.
- ^ https://twitter.com/Idlib_Chicken/status/1764336580494274583?t=5ANyJOplApwCRiIUXCX9VQ&s=19
- ^ ISBN 978-92-9084-767-0.
- ^ a b c d "Syria Comment » Archives Overview of some pro-Assad Militias - Syria Comment". Syria Comment. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2015-10-25.
- ^ Chris Tomson (28 November 2016). "Senior Palestinian paramilitary commander killed by rebel forces in Aleppo". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ^ "Russian influence evident in Palestinian militia in Syria". Long War Journal. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 28 November 2016.
- ISSN 2056-3175.
- ^ "The Palestinian al-Quds Brigade has a new Iran-backed militia for fighting in Aleppo". Al-Dorar al-Shamia. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ "The Palestinian al-Quds Brigade has a new Iran-backed militia for fighting in Aleppo". Al-Dorar al-Shamia. 20 June 2017. Archived from the original on 25 August 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.
- ^ a b c "Rebels, regime made prisoner swap in Aleppo: source". Zaman al-Wasl. 21 June 2016. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
- ^ Leith Fadel (24 October 2015). "Breaking: Syrian Army Reopens the Ithriyah-Salamiyah Road in East Hama After Defeating ISIS". Al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 10 October 2017. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ "Liwa al Quds militia Recruits Palestinian refugees of Homs". Al-Dorar Al-Shamia. 29 June 2017. Retrieved 28 August 2017.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "موقع المقاومة الإسلامية عصائب أهل الحق - العصائب وكسر الأسوار". ahlualhaq.com. Archived from the original on 2018-06-24. Retrieved 2018-06-25.
- ^ Aboufadel, Leith (7 May 2018). "Syrian Army launches massive assault in western Deir Ezzor, liberates large area". Archived from the original on 9 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
- ^ "Member of AlQuds Brigade Arrested by Gov't Forces". Action Group for Palestinians of Syria. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 17 July 2018.
- ^ a b c Caleb Weiss (3 June 2019). "Palestinian militia reports high number of fatalities on Syria's frontlines". Long War Journal. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Liwa al-Quds, the Sunni face of Iran-backed militias". en.zamanalwsl.net. Retrieved 2022-06-27.
- ^ al-Khateb, Khaled (2019-06-13). "Ex-FSA fighters recruited by Damascus to fight opposition in northern Syria". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ "Liwa al-Quds Conscript Reconciliations Fighters and Loses Them in Hama". The Syrian Observer. 2019-05-14. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ وعالم, المدن-عرب. ""لواء القدس" يُجنّدُ مقاتلي "المصالحات".. ويخسرهم في حماة". almodon (in Arabic). Retrieved 2019-06-16.