New Syrian Forces
| New Syrian Forces | |
|---|---|
| Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
| Active | Late September 2015 – present |
| Leaders | Nadim Al Hassam |
| Area of operations | Aleppo, Syria[1] |
| Strength | 4-1,200 fighters[2][3] |
| Part of |
Free Syrian Army Syrian Arab Coalition Syrian Democratic Forces[4] |
| Opponents |
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant al-Nusra Front[2] |
| Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War |
The New Syrian Forces are Syrian paramilitary groups trained and equipped by a United States-led coalition and active in the Syrian Civil War. Most of the members were drawn from Division 30 of the Free Syrian Army.[5] After training, the fighters return to Syrian rebel groups and are not under international coalition command and control.[6]
History
Before the training program started, about 400 Syrian fighters, most of them from the Free Syrian Army's Division 30, travelled to the border with Turkey hoping to join the program. Many of them failed to join the program.[7] On May 7, 2015, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that nearly 90 Syrian fighters of Division 30 had begun their training, and a second group would begin training in the next few weeks. The vetted fighters were being trained to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), rather than the forces of Assad.[8][9] Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan opened training sites for the program.[10]
On July 12, 2015, 54 fighters of Division 30, the first graduates of the train-and-equip program, commanded by an ethnic Turkman colonel who had defected from the Syrian army, crossed from Turkey to Syria in a convoy of 30 pickup trucks, according to Turkish news media. They would be able to call in US airstrikes against ISIL.[11] On July 28, 2015, leader Nadim al-Hassan and an unspecified number of companions were allegedly abducted by members of the al-Nusra Front while returning from a meeting in Azaz. In a public statement, the group called for their release.[12]
On the night of September 18, 2015, and to the next morning,[13] approximately 70 graduates of the Counter-ISIL Coalition’s Syria Train and Equip program re-entered Syria from Turkey to operate as "New Syrian Forces". Although they were trained and equipped by the coalition, they do not operate under its command and control.[14][15] According to Syrian sources, the 75 fighters newly trained in a camp near the Turkish capital crossed through the Bab al-Salama border point and entered Aleppo Governorate, heading to the town of Tell Rifaat. Most of them deployed to Division 30, while others went to support the Falcons of Mount Zawiya Brigade. The group entered in a convoy of a dozen cars with light weapons and ammunition, under air cover from the US-led coalition.[13] By September 23, 2015, al-Nusra Front sources claimed that the group had handed over all its weapons, plus ammunition and vehicles, to al-Nusra Front.[3] After initially denying the report, the United States Central Command confirmed that the group had handed over six pick-up trucks and some ammunition, about one-quarter of their equipment, in exchange for safe passage.[16]
This newly established group joined the Syrian Democratic Forces, tasked with "calling in airstrikes against ISIS and recruiting moderate rebels."[17]
See also
References
- ↑ "US-trained rebels rejoin the fight north Syria". ARA News. July 18, 2015.
- 1 2 "Rivals of ISIS Attack U.S.-Backed Syrian Rebel Group". New York Times. July 31, 2015. Retrieved October 12, 2015.
- 1 2 Bulos, Nabih (September 22, 2015). "US-trained Division 30 rebels 'betray US and hand weapons over to al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria'". The Telegraph. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/12/447969603/new-rebel-coalition-forms-in-syria-insurgents-lost-ground-over-weekend
- ↑ Mehmed Cavid Barkçin (July 15, 2015). "First group of FSA soldiers trained by US, Turkey enters Syria". Daily Sabah. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
... the 30th Division, which was established by the U.S. .... The 30th Division, established by nine opposition groups from the FSA ....
- ↑ Weizmann, Nathalie (August 18, 2015). "What happens if American-trained rebels commit war crimes?". Just Security. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- ↑ Ryan, Missy; Miller, Greg (July 2, 2015). "U.S. prepares to send first group of Syrian fighters back onto battlefield". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ↑ Pellerin, Cheryl (May 7, 2015). "Carter: Combat training begins for new Syrian forces". U.S. Department of Defense. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ↑ "ISIS fight: U.S. says it has begun training Syrian fighters to take on militants". NBC News. May 8, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
- ↑ "U.S. program to train new Syrian force faces logistic, diplomatic headaches". The Washington Post. April 3, 2015. Retrieved May 8, 2015.
- ↑ Gutman, Roy (July 16, 2015). "First contingent of U.S.-trained fighters enters Syria". McClatchyDC. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ↑ "Syrian group says Nusra abducts its leader, U.S. casts doubt". Reuters. July 30, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2015.
- 1 2 "Syria conflict: 75 US-trained rebels crossed into Syria from Turkey, monitoring group says". ABC. AFP. September 20, 2015. Retrieved September 23, 2015.
- ↑ Babb, Carla (September 22, 2015). "70 more 'New Syrian Force' fighters enter Syria". Voice of America. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
- ↑ "Additional new Syrian forces deployed to Syria". United States Central Command. September 21, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
- ↑ Torbati, Yeganeh (September 25, 2015). "U.S.-trained Syrian rebels gave equipment to Nusra: U.S. military". Reuters. AFP. Retrieved September 25, 2015.
- ↑ Bill Chappell (12 October 2015). "New Rebel Coalition Forms In Syria; Insurgents Lost Ground Over Weekend". NPR. Retrieved 13 October 2015.
