15th Special Forces Division
15th Special Forces Division | |
---|---|
الفرقة 15 للقوات الخاصة | |
Size | 5 regiments |
Garrison/HQ | As-Suwayda[1] |
Tactical color marking | |
Engagements |
|
Commanders | |
Commander | Maj. Gen. Suhail Fajr Hassan[5] |
Notable commanders | Maj. Gen. Ghassan al-Yasmina Maj. Gen. Ramadan Ramadan Maj. Gen. Fo'ad Hamoudeh |
The 15th Special Forces Division is a division of the Syrian Armed Forces specializing in light infantry operations, based in the As-Suwayda Governorate.[1] The Division is part of the Syrian Army's 1st Corps.
Role
Syrians use the term 'Special Forces' to describe the
The term Special Forces has been applied ostensibly because of their specialized training in airborne and air assault operations, but they should be regarded as light infantry forces and elite only in relation to the
Command structure
- 35th Special Forces Regiment
- 44th Special Forces Regiment[8]
- 127th Special Forces Regiment
- 404th Armored Regiment[9]
- 405th Armored Regiment
- 176th Artillery Battalion
Combat history
Holliday wrote in 2013 that "the 15th Special Forces Division is a relatively recent formation, established between the mid-1990s restructuring of
Since it was founded, the division comprised four regiments under the leadership of Major General Jihad Jaber, the commander of First Corps, and its leader, former Major General Fuad Hamoudeh, Brigadier General Esber Abboud, Brigadier General Ahmed Younis al Oukda, commander of the 404th Tank Regiment, Ahmed el Kousa, commander of the 405th Artillery Regiment, and Brigadier Hassan Aizora, commander of the 44th Special Forces regiment.[citation needed]
Syrian Civil War
Consistent reporting in mid-February 2012 showed that all three regiments of the 15th Special Forces Division had left their bases near the Jordanian border to join the fight in Homs.[11]
The Syrian Government committed at least one Special Forces regiment to Idlib in 2011 and strongly reinforced the region with three additional Special Forces regiments, an armored brigade, and a detachment of
In mid-March 2012, troops from the 4th Armored Division, 76th Armored Brigade, and 35th Special Forces Regiment quickly cleared rebels out of
Loyalty to the government
Human Rights Watch[14] and Washington Institute reports seem to confirm the existence of the 15th Special Forces Division, which appears to have remained steadfastly loyal to the government.
See also
- 14th Special Forces Division
- 4th Armored Division
- Republican Guard
- List of military special forces units
References
- ^ a b c Syria - The Special Forces and the Elite Units
- ^ a b c d "Appendix 1: Structure and Command of Armed Forces and Intelligence Agencies". Human Rights Watch. 15 December 2011.
- ^ Gregory Waters (12 March 2019). "Understanding Syria's Military Deployments in Idlib". International Review. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Syrian Army kicks off new operation in Daraa". 8 May 2020.
- ^ Gregory Waters (28 March 2024). "- Mohamed Saftly moves from 15th Div to command all Special Forces. Replaced by Suhail Fajr Hassan, fmr 67 Brig commander". Twitter. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
- ^ a b Holliday, Joseph (2013). "The Syrian Army Doctrinal Order of Battle" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- ^ Holliday, 2013, p.10
- ^ Gregory Waters (8 April 2023). "SAA's 531st Battalion/44th Regiment/15th Division downed an HTS drone in Idlib". Twitter. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
- ^ Armor depot of the 404th Armored Reg, 15th Special Forces Div.
- ^ Holliday, 2013, p.9
- ^ a b Gregory Waters (18 July 2019). "The Lion and The Eagle: The Syrian Arab Army's Destruction and Rebirth". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
- ^ SAA rebuilding has been ongoing but the 14th & 15th Divs are really messed up (don't even have battalion or brigade numbers anymore) & will likely have to be rebuilt from scratch.
- ^ Gregory Waters (14 June 2019). "This is also planned to be used to rebuild the 14th & 15th Special Forces Divisions and old units of the Republican Guard". Twitter. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
- ^ "By All Means Necessary!". Human Rights Watch. 16 December 2011. p. 5.
External links
- Washington Institute, [1]
- Human Rights Watch, Structure and Command of Armed Forces and Intelligence Agencies, 16 December 2011
- Joseph Holliday, "The Assad Regime: From Counterinsurgency to Civil War", Institute for the Study of War, March 2013. Seemingly the best concise description and analysis of the Syrian Army and its involvement in the current Syrian Civil War.