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14th Special Forces Division

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14th Special Forces Division
فرقة القوات الخاصة الرابعة عشرة
Syrian Special Forces Patch
Activeearly 1990s – present
Country Syria
Allegiance Syrian Armed Forces
Branch Syrian Army
TypeSpecial forces
RoleClose-quarters combat
Counter-insurgency
Counter-terrorism
Direct action
Raiding
Reconnaissance
Special operations
Unconventional warfare
Urban warfare
Size3 regiments
Part of2nd Corps
Garrison/HQDamascus
Tactical color marking
Engagements
Commanders
Current CommanderMaj. Gen. Ali Asaad
Notable
commanders		Maj. Gen. Ali Haydar †
Maj. Gen. Bassel al-Assad †
Maj. Gen. Mufid Hassan[3]
Maj. Gen. Fuad Masaoud[4]

The 14th Special Forces Division (Arabic: فرقة القوات الخاصة الرابعة عشرة) is a division of the Syrian Armed Forces specializing in light infantry operations.[5] The Division is part of the Syrian Army's 2nd Corps.

Role

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Syrians use the term 'Special Forces' to describe the 14th, 15th divisions, as well as the independent 'special forces' regiments, but they more closely resemble conventional light infantry units, than Western Special Forces in both mission and composition.

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 conventional armored and mechanized brigades of the Syrian Army.[6]

Command structure

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14th Special Forces Division (2019)[5][7]
  • 36th Special Forces Regiment
  • 554th Special Forces Regiment
  • 556th Special Forces Regiment

Combat history

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Women special military forces from the Defense Companies in the '70s and early '80s ate live snakes as part of their training while children being trained in paramilitary activities were trained to stab live puppies to death.[8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15] Syrian special forces also ate live scorpions, live snakes, and live puppies during training.[16] Syrian soldiers are also trained to handle vipers.[17]

The 14th Special Forces Division was established to command three Special Forces Regiments after the mid 1990s restructuring of Ali Haydar’s consolidated Special Forces Command.[18]

Haydar's Special Forces expanded in size to 25,000 men, and formed a key part of the Syrian government's security apparatus. The Special Forces were trained in airborne operations, and were rivaled on power only by the Defense Companies controlled by Hafez's brother, Rifaat. As such, the 14th Division became a strong counter-weight to the Defense Companies, as both these formations were largely airborne divisions.

Traditionally they are recruited from the Alawite sect to ensure loyalty to the government. Intelligence sources state it is likely that such units are involved in crushing popular dissent and neutralizing ringleaders.[19]

Syrian intervention in Lebanon

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Under the command of Ali Haidar, the Special Forces units were deployed to Lebanon as part of the Syrian intervention in the Lebanese Civil War. It provided support to Kamal Jumblatt and in some cases cooperating with the Lebanese National Movement and Lebanese National Resistance Front. During the war they engaged with PLO units under the command of Yasser Arafat.[20]

Syrian Civil War

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The government committed much of the 14th Special Forces Division to the assault of Homs, in which it fought some of the strongest rebel positions of Homs’ southwest Baba Amr, Inshaat, and Jobar neighborhoods.[21]

Opposition reports specifically cited activity from the 556th Special Forces Regiment, but most frequently cited the 14th Special Forces Division generally. Activity was reported in different parts of the city during similar time-frames, suggesting that at least one additional regiment from the 14th Special Forces was involved in the operation of recapturing Homs.

Since 2019, it was reorganized and rebuild with new graduates of the military academies.[22] The old battalions and brigades were destroyed, and had to be rebuilt from scratch.[23]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Confirmed: Syrian Army's full order of battle for east Damascus offensive". Al-Masdar News. 18 February 2018. Archived from the original on 13 May 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
  2. ^ Gregory Waters (12 March 2019). "Understanding Syria's Military Deployments in Idlib". International Review. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
  3. ^ Major General Mofied Hasan, Commander of the 14th Division.
  4. ^ Muhsen al-Mustafa (9 November 2021). "Chain of Command in the Syrian Military: Formal and Informal Tracks". Omran Center for strategic studies. Retrieved 31 March 2024.
  5. ^ a b Syria - The Special Forces and the Elite Units
  6. ^ Holliday, Joseph (2013). "The Syrian Army Doctrinal Order of Battle" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  7. ^ Holliday, 2013, p.10
  8. ^ "Syrian Dictator Hafez al-Assad's army biting snakes killing animals". YouTube. 2011-03-10. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  9. ^ "Syrian TV from 1984 - Female Soldiers Eating Live Snakes, President Assad in Audience, April 3, 2012". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  10. ^ "Syrian Girls eating snakes alive (Rifaat's commandos)". YouTube. 2012-04-03. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  11. ^ "GRAPHIC: Snake-Eating Soldier Girls". Military.com. 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  12. ^ "سرايا الدفاع سورية". YouTube. 2011-05-16. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  13. ^ "سرايا الدفاع السورية سلاح السفاح رفعت". YouTube. 2011-03-09. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  14. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2016-02-02. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  15. ^ "Syrian Dictator Hafez al-Assad Bizarre Army Parade". YouTube. 2011-03-08. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  16. ^ "syrian special force eating snake scorpion الجيش السوري القوات الخاصة". YouTube. 2009-05-04. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  17. ^ "Syrian soldiers dominate all snakes: vipers and terrorist". YouTube. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  18. ^ Holliday, Joseph (2013). "The Assad Regime from counterinsurgency to civil war" (PDF). Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 2022-03-24.
  19. ^ "Syria's army holds the key to Assad regime's future". Channel 4 News. 13 June 2011.
  20. ^ Sami M., Moubayed (2006). Steel and Silk. Cune Press. p. 55.
  21. ^ 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.
  22. ^ 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.
  23. ^ Gregory Waters (26 September 2024). "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". Twitter. Retrieved 30 March 2024.
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