Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) (Arabic: الجيش العربي السوري), is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces.
Syrian Arab Army | |
---|---|
الجيش العربي السوري | |
Active | 1 August 1945[1] 1971 (current form) |
Country | Syria |
Type | Army |
Role | Land warfare |
Size | estimated 100,000 (2019)[2] Military age: 18 Conscription: |
Part of | Syrian Armed Forces |
Garrison/HQ | Damascus |
Motto(s) | "حماة الديار" (Guardians of the Homeland) |
Green, Red, White | |
Anniversaries | August 1st |
Engagements | 1948 Arab–Israeli War War of Attrition |
Commanders | |
President of Syria | FM Bashar al-Assad |
Minister of Defense | Gen. Ali Abdullah Ayyoub |
Establishment
It started from local military forces created by France after World War I. These forces became one force in 1945, the year before Syria became independent.
Politics
Since 1946, it has played a major role in Syria's politics. They did six military coups: two in 1949, including the March 1949 Syrian coup d'état and the August 1949 coup by Colonel Sami al-Hinnawi, and one each in 1954, 1963, 1966, and 1970.
Wars
It has fought four wars with Israel (1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, the October War of 1973, and 1982 in Lebanon) and one with Jordan (Black September in Jordan, 1970). An armored division was also sent to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91 during the Persian Gulf War, but it did not do much. From 1976 to 2005 it was the major pillar of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Within Syria, it played a major part in stopping the 1979–82 Islamist uprising in Syria. Since early 2011 has been fighting the Syrian Civil War.
Syrian Army Media
Syrian anti-tank teams deployed French-made MILAN ATGMs during the war in Lebanon in 1982.
A Syrian colonel during the First Gulf War.
Syrian soldiers manning artillery during the Syrian Civil War in 2015
Syrian Army soldiers during the siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa
A Syrian soldier aims a 7.62mm PKM light machine gun from his position in a foxhole during a firepower demonstration, part of Operation Desert Shield. The soldier is wearing a nuclear-biological-chemical warfare mask.
References
- ↑ Syria News 1 August 2013, President Bashar Al-Assad visits soldiers to mark Army Day and pledge victory. 3 August 2013. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2015-10-12 – via YouTube.
- ↑ IISS 2019, p. 368.
- ↑ "The World Factbook". cia.gov. Archived from the original on 2014-07-02. Retrieved 2013-06-15.
- ↑ "CIA World Factbook". CIA. Archived from the original on 2016-03-22. Retrieved 2013-06-14.