The 4th Armoured Division (Arabic: الفرقة الرابعة, romanized: al-Firqa ar-Rābiʿah) is an elite formation of the Syrian Army whose primary purpose is to defend the Syrian government from internal and external threats.
The division has its roots in the Defense Companies commanded by Rifaat al-Assad, younger brother of President Hafez al-Assad. After Rifaat was banished from Syria in 1984, the Defense Companies were reorganised into the 569th Armoured Division, and later into the 4th Armoured Division.[15]
The Division is regarded by some as the best trained and best equipped of the Syrian Army.[16] The 4th Armoured Division, the Republican Guard, and Syria's secret police form the heart of the country's security forces. As a result, the Division is drawn mostly from members of the same Alawite group as the Assad family.[17] About 80 percent of the division's soldiers and officers are Alawites and nearly 90 percent of them are career soldiers, in contrast to the conscripts who comprise most of the army's other units.[18]
The Division has a military base in the south of Damascus, covering about 91 square kilometres (35 sq mi) and including several mountain bunkers. Its main entrance gate is located next to the village of Al-Horjelah.
During the uprising phase of the Syrian civil war, the 4th Armoured Division played a key role in attempting to put down uprisings, being sent to quell protests in the southern city of Daraa, the coastal city of Baniyas, the central province of Homs and the northern province of Idlib. Alawite officers from the 4th Armoured Division have been sent to other formations within the Syrian army in an attempt by the government to keep a closer eye and firmer grip on many Sunni dominated formations,[19] with the officers sent from the division relying on the division's fearsome reputation to keep soldiers in line.
Both the division as a whole and its component parts have been accused of engaging in human rights abuses during the Syrian uprising, such as arbitrary arrests and beatings, and the shooting of unarmed protesters.[20] Their use by the Syrian regime in the uprising has led to many of the division's commanders being subject to EU sanctions and travel bans.
A July 2013 report by a pro-government websites stated that Maher al-Assad had been commanding troops in the Aleppo and Homs theatre of operations.[21]
Later on, there were reports of their control over international border crossings, such as Nasib Border Crossing and other illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria, which are used as financial sources to cover their expenses.[22]
Referencesedit
^"Syrian rebel leader to Haaretz: Assad's opposition will secure chemical weapons". Haaretz. 28 May 2012.
^. CNN. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2022. Retrieved 28 March 2012.
^"Syria's army holds the key to Assad regime's future". Channel 4 News. 13 June 2011.
^. AlertNet. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
^"مقتل شاب برصاص قوات النظام في درعا البلد ومطالبات أهلية بإفراغ المنطقة من أهلها وسكانها بعد تصعيد قوات النظام الأخير" (in Arabic). SOHR. 29 July 2021. Retrieved 29 July 2021.
^"Daraa | 4th Division officers inspect checkpoints in "Yarmouk Basin" area • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". 4 July 2020.
^. Al-Masdar. 18 June 2018. Archived from the original on 20 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
^"Consolidated list of financial targets in the UK".
^ ab"Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation (EU) No 442/2011".
^Holliday, Joseph (February 2013). "The Syrian Army Doctrinal Order of Battle" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War.
^ abGeorge Waters (18 July 2019). "The Lion and The Eagle: The Syrian Arab Army's Destruction and Rebirth". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
^Tal Beeri (27 July 2023). "The "Al-Imam Hussein Brigade"- The Assimilation of a Shiite Militia into The Syrian Army's 4th Division, As Well as its Attacks on Israeli and US forces". Israel Alma. Retrieved 17 November 2023.
^Campbell, Kirk S. (31 January 2009). (PDF) (Thesis). Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 10 February 2012.
^"In unending turmoil, Syria's Assad turns to family". The Guardian. London. 23 January 2008.
^"'The enforcer' who heads Syria's dreaded army division". France 24. March 2012.
^"Syrian rebel leader to Haaretz: Assad's opposition will secure chemical weapons". Haaretz.com. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
^"Army defectors are operating clandestinely in Damascus". Al Jazeera English.
^"Appendix 1: Structure and Command of Armed Forces and Intelligence Agencies". Human Rights Watch. 15 December 2011.
^. Archived from the original on 15 May 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
^"Nassib Crossing: Disputes over control and search for illegal financial returns". enabbaladi.net. 4 April 2020.
December 07, 2023
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The 4th Armoured Division Arabic الفرقة الرابعة romanized al Firqa ar Rabiʿah is an elite formation of the Syrian Army whose primary purpose is to defend the Syrian government from internal and external threats 4th Armoured Divisionالفرقة الرابعةDivisional tactical color marking Active1984 presentCountry SyriaAllegianceMilitary of SyriaBranchSyrian Arab ArmyTypeArmoured divisionRoleShock troopsSize18 000 2021 1 2 Garrison HQDamascusEngagementsSyrian Civil WarSiege of Daraa Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh Siege of Jisr al Shughur 3 Siege of Baniyas Idlib Governorate clashes Siege of Homs 4 2011 2012 Damascus clashes Battle of Damascus Battle of Aleppo Battle of Zabadani 2015 Rif Dimashq offensive June August 2016 Khan al Shih offensive October November 2016 Siege of Wadi Barada Qaboun offensive 2017 2017 Jobar offensive Beit Jinn offensive Battle of Harasta 2017 2018 Northwestern Syria campaign October 2017 February 2018 Battle of Khasham 2018 Northwestern Syria offensive April August 2019 Northwestern Syria offensive December 2019 March 2020 March 2020 Daraa clashes 2021 Daraa offensive 5 CommandersCurrent CommanderMaj Gen Maher al Assad 6 Brigade CommandersCol Ghiath Dalla 7 42nd Brigade Brig Gen Jawdat Ibrahim Safi 154th Regiment Brig Gen Jamal Yunes 555th Regiment 8 Maj Gen Asif Al Daker Military Police Commander 9 NotablecommandersGen Ghassan Belal 9 Contents 1 Command structure 2 Combat history 2 1 Syrian civil war 3 ReferencesCommand structure edit nbsp 4th Armoured Division Shoulder Markings4th Armoured Division 2023 11 40th Armoured Brigade 41st Armoured Brigade 42nd Armoured Brigade 138th Mechanised Brigade 154th Artillery Regiment 555th Special Forces Airborne Regiment 12 666th Infantry Regiment created in 2017 12 977th Infantry Battalion Al Imam Hussein Brigade 13 Harakat Hezbollah al Nujaba Syrian wing 14 Combat history editThe division has its roots in the Defense Companies commanded by Rifaat al Assad younger brother of President Hafez al Assad After Rifaat was banished from Syria in 1984 the Defense Companies were reorganised into the 569th Armoured Division and later into the 4th Armoured Division 15 The Division is regarded by some as the best trained and best equipped of the Syrian Army 16 The 4th Armoured Division the Republican Guard and Syria s secret police form the heart of the country s security forces As a result the Division is drawn mostly from members of the same Alawite group as the Assad family 17 About 80 percent of the division s soldiers and officers are Alawites and nearly 90 percent of them are career soldiers in contrast to the conscripts who comprise most of the army s other units 18 The Division has a military base in the south of Damascus covering about 91 square kilometres 35 sq mi and including several mountain bunkers Its main entrance gate is located next to the village of Al Horjelah Syrian civil war edit Main article Syrian civil war During the uprising phase of the Syrian civil war the 4th Armoured Division played a key role in attempting to put down uprisings being sent to quell protests in the southern city of Daraa the coastal city of Baniyas the central province of Homs and the northern province of Idlib Alawite officers from the 4th Armoured Division have been sent to other formations within the Syrian army in an attempt by the government to keep a closer eye and firmer grip on many Sunni dominated formations 19 with the officers sent from the division relying on the division s fearsome reputation to keep soldiers in line Both the division as a whole and its component parts have been accused of engaging in human rights abuses during the Syrian uprising such as arbitrary arrests and beatings and the shooting of unarmed protesters 20 Their use by the Syrian regime in the uprising has led to many of the division s commanders being subject to EU sanctions and travel bans 33 22 1 91 N 36 18 29 22 E 33 3671972 N 36 3081167 E 33 3671972 36 3081167A July 2013 report by a pro government websites stated that Maher al Assad had been commanding troops in the Aleppo and Homs theatre of operations 21 Later on there were reports of their control over international border crossings such as Nasib Border Crossing and other illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria which are used as financial sources to cover their expenses 22 References edit Syrian rebel leader to Haaretz Assad s opposition will secure chemical weapons Haaretz 28 May 2012 Kofi Annan s plan is destined to fail CNN 27 March 2012 Archived from the original on 1 February 2022 Retrieved 28 March 2012 Syria s army holds the key to Assad regime s future Channel 4 News 13 June 2011 Elite Syrian troops sent to embattled Homs AlertNet Archived from the original on 2 March 2012 Retrieved 2 March 2012 مقتل شاب برصاص قوات النظام في درعا البلد ومطالبات أهلية بإفراغ المنطقة من أهلها وسكانها بعد تصعيد قوات النظام الأخير in Arabic SOHR 29 July 2021 Retrieved 29 July 2021 Daraa 4th Division officers inspect checkpoints in Yarmouk Basin area The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights 4 July 2020 SAA s 42nd Brigade redeploys from Golan region to east Daraa Al Masdar 18 June 2018 Archived from the original on 20 June 2018 Retrieved 19 June 2018 Consolidated list of financial targets in the UK a b Council Regulation concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Syria and repealing Regulation EU No 442 2011 Holliday Joseph February 2013 The Syrian Army Doctrinal Order of Battle PDF Institute for the Study of War Syria The Special Forces and the Elite Units a b George Waters 18 July 2019 The Lion and The Eagle The Syrian Arab Army s Destruction and Rebirth Middle East Institute Retrieved 20 September 2022 Tal Beeri 27 July 2023 The Al Imam Hussein Brigade The Assimilation of a Shiite Militia into The Syrian Army s 4th Division As Well as its Attacks on Israeli and US forces Israel Alma Retrieved 17 November 2023 Harakat al Nujaba Interview Campbell Kirk S 31 January 2009 Civil Military Relations and Political Liberalization A Comparative Study of the Military s Corporateness and Political Values in Egypt Syria Turkey and Pakistan PDF Thesis Archived from the original PDF on 8 March 2012 Retrieved 10 February 2012 In unending turmoil Syria s Assad turns to family The Guardian London 23 January 2008 The enforcer who heads Syria s dreaded army division France 24 March 2012 Syrian rebel leader to Haaretz Assad s opposition will secure chemical weapons Haaretz com 28 May 2012 Retrieved 5 November 2014 Army defectors are operating clandestinely in Damascus Al Jazeera English Appendix 1 Structure and Command of Armed Forces and Intelligence Agencies Human Rights Watch 15 December 2011 Account Suspended Archived from the original on 15 May 2015 Retrieved 5 November 2014 Nassib Crossing Disputes over control and search for illegal financial returns enabbaladi net 4 April 2020 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 4th Armoured Division Syria amp 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