Free Syrian Army

Not to be confused with Syrian Army.

Free Syrian Army الجيش السوري الحر
Official logo of Free Syrian Army
Active	July 2011–present
Country	Syria ,Turkey
Allegiance	Syrian National Council
Branch	Army
Type	Light Infantry
Role	Civilian protection, Guerrilla warfare
Size	15,000[1][2] - 20,000[3]
Main Bases	Homs Hatay
Nickname	Free Officers Movement (Arabic: حركة الضباط الأحرار‎)
Motto	"Free Army, Free Syria!"
Colors	Green, Red, White and Black
Engagements	2011 Syrian uprising Siege of Rastan and Talbiseh October 2011 Jabal al-Zawiya clashes Siege of Homs Siege of Rif Dimashq
Commanders
Commander-in-Chief	Col. Riyad al-Asad
Deputy Commander-in-Chief	Col. Ahmed Hijazi
Insignia
Identification mark

The Free Syrian Army (Arabic: الجيش السوري الحر‎ al-jayš as-suri al-ħurr) is the main opposition army group in Syria. It is composed of defected Syrian Armed Forces personnel, who have been active during the 2011 Syrian uprising.^[4] The formation of the opposition army group was announced on 29 July 2011 in a web video released by a group of uniformed defectors from the Syrian military, who called upon members of the army to defect and join them.^[5] The leader of the men, who identified himself as Colonel Riyad al-Asad, announced that the FSA would work with demonstrators to bring down the system and declared that all security forces attacking civilians are justified targets.^[6][7] Riyad al-Asad emphasised that the Free Syrian Army has no political goals except the liberation of Syria from Bashar Assad's regime.^[8][9] The Free Syrian Army has also stated that the conflict is not sectarian, and that they have in their ranks Alawis, who oppose the regime, and that there will be no reprisals when the regime falls.^[1] On 23 September 2011, the Free Syrian Army merged with the Free Officers Movement (Arabic: حركة الضباط الأحرار‎ ħarakat al-ḍubbaṭ al-aħrar) and became the main opposition army group.^[4][10][11] As of October there were estimates of 10,000 - 20,000 defectors from the armed forces, although not all defectors chose to actively participate with the Free Syrian Army.^[12][13]

History

Declaration of formation

In the Free Syrian Army’s first statement, Riyad al-Asad explained that the opposition army’s formation proceeded “from our nationalistic duty, our loyalty to the people, our sense of the current need for conclusive decisions to stop the regime’s massacres that cannot be tolerated any longer, and proceeding from the army’s responsibility to protect the unarmed free people.” And he proceeded to “announce the formation of the free Syrian army to work hand in hand with the people to achieve freedom and dignity to bring the regime down, protect the revolution and the country’s resources, and stand in the face of the irresponsible military machine that protects the regime.”^[7]

Asad continued by calling on the officers and men of the Syrian army to "defect from the army, stop pointing their rifles at their people's chests, join the free army, and form a national army that can protect the revolution and all sections of the Syrian people with all their sects." He continued that the Syrian army "[represents] gangs that protect the regime" and declared, "as of now, the security forces that kill civilians and besiege cities will be treated as legitimate targets. We will target them in all parts of the Syrian territories without exception."^[7]

Colonel Riyad al-Asad and others announcing the FSA's formation in an online video statement

As no confirmed evidence of an organized Free Syrian Army beyond video statements was produced in the beginning, its existence was questioned by some sources.^[14][15] However in late August, a top member of the organization, colonel Hussein Harmoush, was detained during a special operation by Syrian forces in Idlib and confessed on state television that he was a member of the opposition army and that while in the Syrian army he was not forced to shoot on protesters.^[16] Since August, the Free Syrian Army has also made a number of interviews with the international media from both locations on the Syrian-Turkish border and inside Syria.^[17]

According to its leader, the Free Syrian Army "aims to be the military wing of the Syrian peoples opposition to the regime".^[18] He also asked that the international community help arm the opposition army and impose a no fly zone and a naval blockade of Syria^[11][18]

Military tactics

The soldiers on desertion have to abandon their armoured vehicles and, carrying only light weapons, hide in cities and suburbs. As the Syrian army is highly organised and well-armed, the Free Syrian Army has adapted guerrilla-style tactics in the countryside and cities, similar to those described in Guevara’s book Guerrilla Warfare.^[19] The FSA claims it actively engages and ambushes security forces and the state’s shabiha militia, but seldom confronts other regular army soldiers for fear of alienating them. Most of their attacks have been on buses bringing in security reinforcements, often by planting bombs or carrying out hit-and run-attacks.^[1]

In order to encourage defections, the Free Syrian Army has been ambushing patrols and shooting their commanders and then convincing the rank and file to switch sides. Ninety percent of the Syrian Army soldiers are Sunni, while the commanders are mostly from Bashar Assad’s Alawi sect. The FSA battalions have also acted as defense forces in neighborhoods opposed to the government, guarding streets while protests take place and attacking the militias, known as shabiha, which are an integral part of the government's efforts to suppress dissent.^[20]

In Deir ez-Zor, Al-Rastan and Abu Kamal the Free Syrian Army, however, engaged in street battles that raged for days with no particular side gaining the advantage. Recently, air support was used against them in Hama, Homs, Al-Rastan, Deir ez-Zor and Deraa.^[1]

Armed actions

Detailed map of Syria

In late September, Syrian government forces, backed by tanks and helicopters, led a major offensive on the city of Al-Rastan, which had been under opposition control for the past couple weeks.^[21] There were reports of large numbers of defections in the city, and the Free Syrian Army claimed it had destroyed 17 pro-Assad armoured vehicles during clashes in Rastan,^[22] using RPGs and booby traps.^[23] The Al-Harmoush battalion also claimed to have killed 80 loyalist soldiers in fighting.^[24] A defected officer in the Syrian opposition claimed that over a hundred officers had defected as well as thousands of conscripts, although many had gone into hiding or home to their families, rather than fighting the loyalist forces.^[23] The fighting between the government forces and the Free Syrian Army was the longest and most intense action so far. After a week of fighting, the FSA was forced to retreat from Rastan.^[21] To avoid government forces, the leader of the FSA, Col. Riyad Asad, retreated to the Turkish side of Syrian-Turkish border.^[25]

By mid October, clashes between loyalist and defected army units were being reported fairly regularly. On 13 October, clashes were reported in the town of Harra in the south of Syria that resulted in the death of two rebel and six loyalist soldiers, according to the London based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.^[26] Clashes were also reported in Banish with a total of 14 fatalities for both affected towns, including rebels, loyalists and civilians.^[27] A few days later on 17 October, five government troops were killed in the town of Qusair, near the border with Lebanon, and 17 people were reported wounded in battles with defectors in the town of Hass, although it was unclear if the wounded included civilians.^[28] According to the London based organization, an estimated 11 government soldiers were killed that day, four of which were killed in a bombing. It was not clear if the defectors linked to these incidents were connected to the Free Syrian Army.^[29]

On 20 October, opposition claimed that clashes occurred between loyalists and defectors in Burhaniya near Homs, leading to the death of several soldiers and the destruction of two military vehicles.^[30]

Clashes occurred in the north western town Maarat al-Numaan on 25 October between loyalists and defected soldiers at a roadblock on the edge of the town. The defectors launched an assault on the government held roadblock in retaliation against a raid on their positions the previous night.^[31]

On 26 October, opposition claimed that nine soldiers were killed by a rocket propelled grenade when it hit their bus in the village of Hamrat, near Hama. The gunmen who attacked the bus are believed to be defected soldiers.^[32]

Oppositions claimed that 17 pro Assad soldiers were killed in Homs on 29 October during fighting with suspected army deserters, including a defected senior offical who was aiding the rebel soldiers. Two armoured personnel carriers were disabled in the fighting. Later that number would say to be 20 Syrian soldiers were killed and 53 wounded in clashes with presumed army deserters, according to Agence France Presse. In a separate incident, 10 security agents and a deserter were killed in a bus ambush near the Turkish border, activists said, AFP reports. The Observatory said the bus was transporting security agents between the villages of Al-Habit and Kafrnabuda in Idlib province when it was ambushed "by armed men, probably deserters".^[33][34][35]

On the 1st November, "dozens" of armoured vehicles allegedly converged on a village in the Kafroma in Idlib, as defected soldiers (it is unknown if they are associated with the Free Syrian Army) apparently killed an unknown number of Syrian soldiers.^[36]

On the 5th November at least nine people died in clashes between soldiers, protesters and defectors and four Shabeeha were killed in Idlib, reportedly by army deserters.^[37] On the same day, the state-news agency SANA reported the deaths of 13 soldiers and policemen as a result of clashes with armed groups.^[38] According to SANA, four policemen were also wounded in clashes with an armed group in Kanaker in the Damascus countryside, while one of the armed individuals died. Additionally two explosive devices were also allegedly dismantled.^[39]

More army defections were reported in Damascus on 10 November, three out of at least nine defectors were shot dead by loyalist gunmen after abandoning their posts.The same day, clashes reportedly resulted in the death of a fifteen year old boy in Khan Sheikhoun, when he was cought in crossfire between Assad loyalists and the Free Army.^[40] Also on the 10th November "at least four soldiers in the regular army were killed at dawn in an attack, headed by armed men - probably deserters - on a military checkpoint in Has region, near Maaret al-Numan town" according to the Syrian Observatory for Human rights.^[41] However, the number has also been put at five soldiers.^[42] A checkpoint in Maarat al-Numaan three kilometers south of Homs also came under attack by defectors, resulting in an increase in tank deployment by Syrian security forces in the city.^[43]

26 soldiers were killed on the 11th November in total.^[44]

Command structure

Leadership

Damascus

Rif Dimashq

Quneitra

Daraa

As-Suwayda

Homs

Tartus

Latakia

Hama

Idlib

Aleppo

Ar-Raqqah

Deir ez-Zor

Al-Hasakah

The Free Syrian Army operates its central command from the Turkish side of the Syrian-Turkish border and its field command from inside Syria.^[45][46] The FSA has declared the following command structure.

Central Command:^[6]

• Col. Riyad Asad, commander-in-chief of the Free Syrian Army
• Col. Ahmed Hijazi, deputy commander-in-chief of the Free Syrian Army

Field Command:^[47][48]

• Lt. Col. Abdul Satar Yunsu commander of the Hamza Khateeb battalion
• Capt. Ibrahim Majbur commander of the Hurriya battalion^[2][48]
• Capt. Riyad Ahmad commander of the Samer Nunu battalion
• Capt. Ayham al-Kurdi commander of the Qashoush battalion
• Capt. Qais Qata’neh commander of the Omari battalion
• Capt. Abdelaziz Tlass commander of the Khalid Bin Walid battalion^[11][48]
• Lt. Mazen al-Zein commander of the Qassam battalion
• Maher Al-Rahmoun commander of the Moawiyah Bin Abi Sufian battalion
• Ammar Al-Wawi commander of the Ababeel battalion
• Youssef Yahya commander of the Harmoush battalion
• Muhammad Tayseer Ousso commander of the Suqur battalion
• Wassim al-Khalid commander of the Abu Obeidah bin Al-Jarrah battalion

Battalions

As of October 2011, the Free Syrian Army has according to its deputy commander twenty-two battalions. The battalions are spread across the country in its thirteen different governorates. The battalions are:^[1][2][48]

• Khalid bin Walid battalion (Homs city)^[17]
• Hamzah Al-Khateeb battalion (Idlib city)
• Al-Harmoush battalion (Idlib province)^[49]
• Salaheddine Al-Ayoubi battalion (Jisr ash-Shugur)
• Qashoush battalion (Hama city)^[50]
• Aboul Fidaa battalion (Hama province)
• Saad Bin Moaz battalion (Hama province)
• Moawiyah Bin Abi Sufian (Damascus city)
• Abu Obeidah bin Al-Jarrah battalion (Damascus province)
• Houriyeh battalion (Aleppo city)
• Ababeel battalion (Aleppo province)
• Omari battalion (Daraa/Hauran)
• Sultan Pasha Al-Atrash battalion (As-Suwayda)
• Qassam battalion (Jableh)
• Suqur battalion (Latakia)
• Samer Nunu battalion (Baniyas)
• Mishaal Tammo battalion (Qamishli)
• Odai Al-Tayi battalion (Hasakah)
• Omar Ibn al-Khattab battalion (Deir ez-Zor city)^[51]
• Moaz Al-Raqad battalion (Deir ez-Zor province)
• Allahu Akbar battalion (Abu Kamal)
• Ahmad Nayif Al-Sukhni battalion (Ar-Raqqah)

See also

• Alliance of Yemeni Tribes
• National Liberation Army (Libya)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e} Hafez, Salam (8 October 2011). "Syrian Opposition Call for No-Fly Zone". The Journal of Turkish Weekly. http://www.turkishweekly.net/news/124717/syrian-opposition-call-for-no-fly-zone.html. Retrieved 8 October 2011. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Thousands of Syrian Army defectors join militias". World tribune. 27 September 2011. http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_syria1207_09_27.asp. Retrieved 5 October 2011. 
3. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/8868027/15000-strong-army-gathers-to-take-on-Syria.html%7Cnewspaper = Telegraph|Access date = 4/11/11|date = 4/4/11
4. ^ ^{a b} Albayrak, Ayla (4 October 2011). "Turkey Plans Military Exercise on Syrian Border". Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204524604576610781937462842.html. Retrieved 4 October 2011. 
5. ^ Landis, Joshua (29 July 2011). "Free Syrian Army Founded by Seven Officers to Fight the Syrian Army". Syria Comment. http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=11043. Retrieved 7 August 2011. 
6. ^ ^{a b} "Defecting troops form 'Free Syrian Army', target Assad security forces". World Tribune. 3 August 2011. http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2011/me_syria0973_08_03.asp. Retrieved 7 August 2011. 
7. ^ ^{a b c} "Syrian Army Colonel Defects forms Free Syrian Army". Asharq Alawsat. 1 August 2011. http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=26095. Retrieved 7 August 2011. 
8. ^ "Commander of Free Syrian Army: Al Asad to face Gaddafi's fate". Trend. 10 September 2011. http://en.trend.az/regions/met/arabicr/1929681.html. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
9. ^ Abbas, Thair (10 September 2011). "Asharq Al-Awsat visits the Free Syrian Army". Asharq Al-Awsat. http://awsat-e.com/news.asp?section=3&id=26872. Retrieved 22 October 2011. 
10. ^ "Syria Army Defectors Press Conference - 9-23-11". Syria2011archives. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttfy6h2BMyo. Retrieved 9 October 2011. 
11. ^ ^{a b c} Burch, Johnathon (7 October 2011). "War is only option to topple Syrian leader". Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/10/07/us-turkey-syria-colonel-idUSTRE7964OQ20111007. Retrieved 7 October 2011. 
12. ^ Hafez, Salem. "Syria: How Far Has Uprising Spread?". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. http://iwpr.net/report-news/syria-how-far-has-uprising-spread. Retrieved 27 October 2011. 
13. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/world/middleeast/army-defectors-in-syria-take-credit-for-deadly-attack.html
14. ^ Landis, Joshua (30 July 2011). "Is the Free Syrian Army Real?". Syria Comment. http://www.joshualandis.com/blog/?p=11060&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Syriacomment+%28Syria+Comment%29. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
15. ^ Al-Hatem, Fadwa (2 August 2011). "Syria is on course for destruction". The Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/aug/02/syria-destruction-bashar-al-assad. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
16. ^ Lt. Col. Hussein Harmoush told his part at “Syria Uprising” | English | NEWS | DayPress
17. ^ ^{a b} Rosen, Nir (23 September 2011). "Syria: The revolution will be weaponised". Al Jazeera English. http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/09/2011923115735281764.html. Retrieved 30 October 2011. 
18. ^ ^{a b} '15,000 strong' army gathers to take on Syria - Telegraph
19. ^ Che Guevara: Guerrilla Warfare
20. ^ Sly, Liz (25 September 2011). "In Syria, defectors form dissident army in sign uprising may be entering new phase". Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/in-syria-defectors-form-dissident-army-in-sign-uprising-may-be-entering-new-phase/2011/09/24/gIQAKef8wK_story_1.html. Retrieved 6 October 2011. 
21. ^ ^{a b} Pro-Assad forces regain rebel Syrian town: agency | Top News | Reuters
22. ^ Fielding, Abigail (29 September 2011). "Syrian defectors battle Assad’s army". FT.com. http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/cf5a4510-eaa9-11e0-aeca-00144feab49a.html?ftcamp=rss. Retrieved 4 October 2011. 
23. ^ ^{a b} Zoi Constantine. "Thousands of troops desert from Syrian army". The National. http://www.thenational.ae/news/worldwide/middle-east/thousands-of-troops-desert-from-syrian-army. Retrieved 4 October 2011. 
24. ^ Al Arabiya with agencies (29 September 2011). "Defected brigade says it has killed 80 members of Assad’s forces". Al Arabiya English. http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2011/09/29/169224.html. Retrieved 4 October 2011. 
25. ^ Dissident Syrian colonel flees to Turkey | Reuters
26. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/middle-east/clashes-between-syrian-troops-and-army-defectors-kill-at-least-13/2011/10/13/gIQAp0vMhL_story.html
27. ^ Activist group: Fourteen killed in Syrian vi... JPost - Headlines
28. ^ Activists: Syrian forces fight defectors; 5 killed - World news
29. ^ 11 troops killed as UN chief urges end to Syria violence | The Jakarta Globe
30. ^ Gaddafi is Africa's latest Big Man to fall | Reuters
31. ^ Assad forces fight deserters at northwestern town | Reuters
32. ^ Report: 9 Syrian soldiers killed in attack - JPost - Headlines
33. ^ Bangkok Post : 20 Syrian soldiers killed in 'clashes with deserters'
34. ^ AGI News On - SYRIA: DESERTERS KILL 17 SOLDIERS IN HOMS
35. ^ BBC News - Syria's Assad warns of 'earthquake' if West intervenes
36. ^ in the Kafroma in Idlib.
37. ^ Syria Live Blog | Al Jazeera Blogs
38. ^ At least nine dead in Syria as regime pledges to free prisoners - The Irish Times - Sat, Nov 05, 2011
39. ^ Syrian Arab news agency - SANA - Syria : Syria news ::
40. ^ http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/10/uk-syria-killings-idUKTRE7A95LD20111110
41. ^ http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/girl-soldiers-among-21-killed-in-syria/story-e6frf7jx-1226192181916
42. ^ http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/10/uk-syria-killings-idUKTRE7A95LD20111110
43. ^ http://uk.reuters.com/article/2011/11/10/uk-syria-killings-idUKTRE7A95LD20111110
44. ^ http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45252656/ns/world_news-mideast_n_africa/
45. ^ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/28/world/europe/turkey-is-sheltering-antigovernment-syrian-militia.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2
46. ^ Syria’s army defectors: Cracks in the army | The Economist
47. ^ Leverrier, Ignace (17 October 2011). "What is known about the Free Syrian Army". Le Monde. http://syrie.blog.lemonde.fr/2011/10/17/que-sait-on-de-l%E2%80%99armee-syrienne-libre/#comments. Retrieved 21 October 2011. 
48. ^ ^{a b c d} Abdulhamid, Ammar. "Syrian Revolution Digest". http://syrianrevolutiondigest.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-10-16T23%3A52%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
49. ^ Mouterde, Perrine (14 October 2011). "‘Free Syrian Army’ poses growing threat to Assad". France 24. http://www.france24.com/en/20111014-free-syria-army-opposition-bashar-al-assad-exile-turkey-batallion. Retrieved 16 October 2011. 
50. ^ Syria Revolts | Documenting the Syrian uprising
51. ^ Lebanon news - NOW Lebanon -Assad is growing weaker

External links

• Free Syrian Army (official website)
• اعلان تشكيل الجيش السوري الحر (original video declaration of formation)