The Ba'ath Brigades (Arabic: كتائب البعث, romanized: Katā'ib al-Baʿth), also known as the Ba'ath Battalions, were a volunteer militia made up of Syrian Ba'ath Party members, almost entirely of Sunni Muslims from Syria and many Arab countries, loyal to the Syrian Government of Bashar Assad.[11]
They was set up in Aleppo under the command of Hilal Hilal, the current Assistant Regional Secretary, after rebels took most of the eastern half of the city in summer 2012. Initially, the Ba'ath Brigades were used to guard government buildings and other key installations in Aleppo, but their role expanded as their strength grew from 5,000 members in November 2012 to 7,000 in December 2013.[6][12] Units later formed in Latakia and Tartus. At the end of 2013, the Brigades began deploying in Damascus, tasked with manning checkpoints and conducting "light logistical operations".[9] They spearheaded the assault on the Old City of Aleppo in early 2014.[11]
The Ba'ath Brigades were previously led by Ra'ed bin 'Ali Ghadban—a high-ranking member of the Ba'ath Party's Deir ez-Zor branch. He resigned as the brigades' commander in 2017 to become a member of the central committee of the party, as well as a member of the Syrian government's delegation to the Sochi peace talks in the context of the Syrian peace process.[2]
On 27 February 2017, Col. Salama Mohammed, a high-ranking Ba'ath Brigades commander and leader of the group's Tartus Governorate branch, was reportedly killed in action while fighting in the area around Hama. Some claimed, however, that Mohammed had instead died of a heart attack.[4]
The Ba'ath Legion of the Syrian Army's 5th Corps was formed from Ba'ath Brigades volunteers.[14]
By mid-2018, the Syrian government began to disband the Ba'ath Brigades, as well as other pro-government militias, integrating parts of them into the Syrian Army.[15][16][17]
The Ba'ath Brigades were dissolved following the Idlib demilitarization agreement in September of 2018. The group's then-leader, Jihad Barakat, announced on his Facebook page that "the military operations conducted by Baath forces have completely ended".[1]
Legacyedit
Despite the Ba'ath Brigades' end, several of their former commanders continued to play a prominent role in Syria. Bassem Sudan and Isam Nabhan Subai, former commanders of the brigades in Latakia and Hama respectively, successfully ran as candidates in the 2020 Syrian parliamentary election.[5]
^ abc"Source: The "Tiger" Cancels the Contracts of 6500 of Its Troops throughout Syria". Enab Baladi. 2018-09-20. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
^ abAwad, Ziad (2019). The rebuilding of regime networks in Deir Ez-Zor: Identifying key local players(PDF). European University Institute – Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies. p. 13.
^. ARA News. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
^ ab. El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 11 June 2019. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
^ abcKaram Shaar; Samy Akil (28 January 2021). "Inside Syria's Clapping Chamber: Dynamics of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
^The New Druze Militia Factions of Suwayda Province
^Kurdish police attack Syrian gov’t forces in Hasakah City
^ abكتائب البعث» إلى شوارع دمشق» (in Arabic). Al Akhbar. 30 December 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
^"السويداء: "فاطميون" و"النمر" و"حزب الله" لقيادة معركة درعا" [As-Suwayda: Fatimion, Al-Nimr and Hezbollah to lead the battle of Daraa]. Almodon (in Arabic). 26 June 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
^ abEdward Dark (14 March 2014). "Pro-regime Sunni fighters in Aleppo defy sectarian narrative". Al Monitor. Retrieved 20 March 2014.
^Edward Dark (20 November 2013). "Syrian Baath militia commander goes rags-to-riches". Al Monitor. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
^Leith Fadel (10 November 2015). "Cheetah Forces Lift the Three Year Long Siege of the Kuweires Military Airbase". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
^"Syrian regime forms militia mostly from the ruling party". Zaman Alwasl. 16 March 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
^علي, عدنان. "النظام السوري يواصل حل المليشيات وإزالة الحواجز العسكرية". Al Araby (in Arabic). Retrieved 2019-08-31.
^"Troublesome allies: How the Syrian regime is reintegrating loyalist militias". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2019-08-31.
brigades, arabic, كتائب, البعث, romanized, katā, baʿth, also, known, battalions, were, volunteer, militia, made, syrian, party, members, almost, entirely, sunni, muslims, from, syria, many, arab, countries, loyal, syrian, government, bashar, assad, كتائب, البع. The Ba ath Brigades Arabic كتائب البعث romanized Kata ib al Baʿth also known as the Ba ath Battalions were a volunteer militia made up of Syrian Ba ath Party members almost entirely of Sunni Muslims from Syria and many Arab countries loyal to the Syrian Government of Bashar Assad 11 Ba ath Brigadesكتائب البعثBa ath Brigades SSI and Insignia Ba ath Brigades FlagFounderHilal HilalLeadersJihad Barakat 1964 2018 1 Ra ed al Ghadban 2017 2 Mohammed Khaddour 3 Col Salama Mohammed 4 Bassem Sudan 5 Isam Nabhan Subai 5 Dates of operationSummer 2012 6 September 2018 1 HeadquartersAleppoActive regionsSyria Aleppo Governorate Damascus Governorate Latakia Governorate Tartus Governorate As Suwayda Governorate 7 Hasakah Governorate 8 IdeologyNeo Ba athismPro Syrian governmentSize7 000 claimed December 2013 9 AlliesSyrian Armed Forces National Defense ForcesOpponentsFree Syrian Army Islamic Front al Nusra Front Islamic State of Iraq and the LevantBattles and warsSyrian Civil War Battle of Aleppo 2012 2016 Operation Canopus Star Operation Rainbow Aleppo offensive July 2015 Kuweires offensive Aleppo offensive October November 2015 Siege of Northern Homs Hama offensive March April 2017 2018 Southern Syria offensive 10 Contents 1 History 1 1 Legacy 2 See also 3 ReferencesHistory editThey was set up in Aleppo under the command of Hilal Hilal the current Assistant Regional Secretary after rebels took most of the eastern half of the city in summer 2012 Initially the Ba ath Brigades were used to guard government buildings and other key installations in Aleppo but their role expanded as their strength grew from 5 000 members in November 2012 to 7 000 in December 2013 6 12 Units later formed in Latakia and Tartus At the end of 2013 the Brigades began deploying in Damascus tasked with manning checkpoints and conducting light logistical operations 9 They spearheaded the assault on the Old City of Aleppo in early 2014 11 The Ba ath Battalions participated in lifting the three year siege at Kuweires military airbase alongside the elite Cheetah Forces and National Defence Forces 13 The Ba ath Brigades were previously led by Ra ed bin Ali Ghadban a high ranking member of the Ba ath Party s Deir ez Zor branch He resigned as the brigades commander in 2017 to become a member of the central committee of the party as well as a member of the Syrian government s delegation to the Sochi peace talks in the context of the Syrian peace process 2 On 27 February 2017 Col Salama Mohammed a high ranking Ba ath Brigades commander and leader of the group s Tartus Governorate branch was reportedly killed in action while fighting in the area around Hama Some claimed however that Mohammed had instead died of a heart attack 4 The Ba ath Legion of the Syrian Army s 5th Corps was formed from Ba ath Brigades volunteers 14 By mid 2018 the Syrian government began to disband the Ba ath Brigades as well as other pro government militias integrating parts of them into the Syrian Army 15 16 17 The Ba ath Brigades were dissolved following the Idlib demilitarization agreement in September of 2018 The group s then leader Jihad Barakat announced on his Facebook page that the military operations conducted by Baath forces have completely ended 1 Legacy edit Despite the Ba ath Brigades end several of their former commanders continued to play a prominent role in Syria Bassem Sudan and Isam Nabhan Subai former commanders of the brigades in Latakia and Hama respectively successfully ran as candidates in the 2020 Syrian parliamentary election 5 See also edit nbsp Asia portalArab Socialist Ba ath Party Syria Region List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War Popular Army of IraqReferences edit a b c Source The Tiger Cancels the Contracts of 6500 of Its Troops throughout Syria Enab Baladi 2018 09 20 Retrieved 2019 08 31 a b Awad Ziad 2019 The rebuilding of regime networks in Deir Ez Zor Identifying key local players PDF European University Institute Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies p 13 Veteran Baath members establish pro Assad militia to fight opposition ARA News Archived from the original on October 6 2014 Retrieved 19 May 2015 a b Senior leader of al Baath Party Killed in Syria El Dorar Al Shamia 23 February 2017 Archived from the original on 11 June 2019 Retrieved 17 March 2017 a b c Karam Shaar Samy Akil 28 January 2021 Inside Syria s Clapping Chamber Dynamics of the 2020 Parliamentary Elections Middle East Institute Retrieved 29 April 2021 a b Aron Lund 13 January 2014 The Baath Battalions Move Into Damascus Carnegie Endowment for International Peace Retrieved 15 January 2014 The New Druze Militia Factions of Suwayda Province Kurdish police attack Syrian gov t forces in Hasakah City a b كتائب البعث إلى شوارع دمشق in Arabic Al Akhbar 30 December 2013 Retrieved 14 January 2014 السويداء فاطميون و النمر و حزب الله لقيادة معركة درعا As Suwayda Fatimion Al Nimr and Hezbollah to lead the battle of Daraa Almodon in Arabic 26 June 2018 Retrieved 11 August 2018 a b Edward Dark 14 March 2014 Pro regime Sunni fighters in Aleppo defy sectarian narrative Al Monitor Retrieved 20 March 2014 Edward Dark 20 November 2013 Syrian Baath militia commander goes rags to riches Al Monitor Retrieved 7 January 2014 Leith Fadel 10 November 2015 Cheetah Forces Lift the Three Year Long Siege of the Kuweires Military Airbase Al Masdar News Retrieved 10 November 2015 Syrian regime forms militia mostly from the ruling party Zaman Alwasl 16 March 2017 Retrieved 17 March 2017 علي عدنان النظام السوري يواصل حل المليشيات وإزالة الحواجز العسكرية Al Araby in Arabic Retrieved 2019 08 31 Troublesome allies How the Syrian regime is reintegrating loyalist militias Middle East Eye Retrieved 2019 08 31 Russia Curbs Maher al Assad s Influence The Syrian Observer 2019 03 08 Retrieved 2019 08 31 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ba 27ath Brigades amp oldid 1178584007, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
