Qalamoun Shield Forces

Qalamoun Shield Forces
قوات درع القلمون (Quwat Dir' al-Qalamoun)
Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Logo of the militia since 2016. It includes a Quran quote: "If God supports you, no one can overcome you."
Logo of the militia since 2016. It includes a Quran quote: "If God supports you, no one can overcome you."[1]
Active January 2014 – May 2016 (unified)
May 2016 – present (after split)
Groups
Leaders
  • Adel Ibrahim Dellah (c. 2015–16)
  • Firas Jaz'ah (2016–present)
Headquarters Various towns in the Qalamun Mountains, most importantly al-Nabek and Yabroud[3]
Area of operations Syria
Size c. 2,800 (mid-2017)[4]
Part of Syrian Army's 3rd Armoured Division (as auxiliary force)[5]
Allies  Russia
Hezbollah
Opponents Syrian opposition and allied mujahideen
al-Nusra Front / HTS
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and wars

Syrian Civil War

The Qalamoun Shield Forces (Arabic: قوات درع القلمون‎ Quwat Dir' al-Qalamoun, short: QSF) are a militia formed by natives of the Qalamun Mountains that fight for the Syrian government during the Syrian Civil War. Originally a small auxiliary and self-defense group, QSF grew into relatively large and well-equipped paramilitary force that operates nationwide. Currently led by Firas Jaz'ah, the Qalamoun Shield Forces are closely affiliated with the 3rd Armoured Division.

History

Early history as Republican Guard auxiliaries

The origins of the Qalamoun Shield Forces lie in a small militia of the same name that was set up in al-Nabek after its capture from rebels during the Battle of Qalamoun (2013). Formed by "notables, retired officers and other locals" on 9 January 2014, this unit was designated as auxiliaries to the Republican Guard and was supposed to secure areas retaken from rebel groups. A Damascus native named Adel Ibrahim Dellah eventually became commander of the group. In course of 2015, the nascent QSF had significantly grown in numbers (claiming hundreds of members) and expanded its operations: Fighting at the side of the Republican Guard, the militia not only took part in further offensive operations in the western Qalamoun mountains, but also fought in the wider Rif Dimashq Governorate such as at Harasta. Later into the year, the Qalamoun Shield Forces even sent fighters to take part in the Battle of Aleppo and the Homs offensive (November–December 2015) against ISIL. During these operations, the group began to closely cooperate with the 3rd Armoured Division, leading to the Qalamoun Shield Forces' loyalties shifting away from the Republican Guard.[1]

In the first half of 2016, the militia became especially active in the Syrian steppe and Syrian Desert, fighting in the Palmyra offensive (March 2016),[6] the Battle of al-Qaryatayn (March–April 2016) and the Al-Dumayr offensive (April 2016).[1] Around this time, Syrian Army lieutenant colonel Firas Jaz'ah became the "general supervisor" of the militia, though Adel Ibrahim Dellah continued to serve as military commander of QSF.[1]

Split and service with the 3rd Division

In May 2016, QSF finally split due to the group's divided loyalties: One faction under the militia's old commander Adel Ibrahim Dellah cut all ties with the 3rd Division and formed a new group, the "Homeland Protection Forces". The other faction, led by Firas Jaz'ah, remained with the 3rd Division and continued to function under the name "Qalamoun Shield Forces". This group significantly expanded its recruitment efforts in the wider Qalamoun area, and also began to enlist hundreds of former Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels into its ranks as part of reconciliation agreements. Already by early 2017, some estimated that about 50% or more of QSF consisted of ex-insurgents; others however claimed that the numbers were closer to around 10%.[1][4]

Thus strengthened despite the Homeland Protection Forces' break-off, the Qalamoun Shield Forces further expanded their operations throughout Syria. In the Syrian Desert, QSF helped to defend the Tiyas Military Airbase from ISIL during the Palmyra offensive (December 2016),[7][4] and then took part in numerous government (counter-)offensives which aimed at reclaiming all of central Syria from the Islamic State and various FSA groups: The Eastern Homs offensive (2017),[4] East Hama offensive (2017), the Syrian Desert campaign (May–July 2017) and the Central Syria campaign (2017).[4][8][9] The Qalamoun Shield Forces also helped to stall and/or defeat major rebel offensives in northern Hama Governorate in 2016[10][1] and mid-2017,[3] and took part in government operations against rebel and ISIL forces in the Hama-Idlib-Aleppo Governorates border region in late 2017.[5][11]

Meanwhile, QSF continued to be active in its core regions in southwestern Syria, where it aided the government conquest of the Barada river valley in early 2017,[12][1] and closely cooperated with Hezbollah to destroy the last holdouts of Tahrir al-Sham, the Syrian opposition, and ISIL at the Lebanese border.[4] In course of these operations in the Qalamun Mountains, QSF recruited more ex-rebels into its ranks,[2][13] allegedly promising some of them that they would only have to serve in their own home areas. Despite this, pro-rebel media claimed that QSF later forced several of these ex-rebels (from al-Tall) to fight against ISIL in the eastern desert.[14] On 30 December 2017, QSF also sent one of its battalions to take part in the Battle of Harasta.[15]

Organization, support and funding

The Qalamoun Shield Forces are led by Firas Jaz'ah, a lieutenant colonel who is closely affiliated with the 3rd Division,[1] and are organized into several sub-units according to their places of origin.[2][1] Accordingly, the group maintains numerous bases in the region, most notably at al-Nabek and Yabroud.[3] Though most of the militia's fighters are from the wider Qalamoun region, they are known to also have members from Damascus and the Golan Heights.[1] In their core areas, QSF sometimes acts as police force,[1][4] and also maintains posts along the border to Lebanon, most notably at Flitah.[3]

Though QSF is most closely connected to the 3rd Division,[1] it never completely separated from the Republican Guard[4][3] and also maintains links with the Air Force Intelligence and the Military Intelligence Directorates,[1] as well as the Lebanese Hezbollah.[3] The Military Intelligence Directorate also provides funding to the group,[13] though QSF is mostly financed by the Syrian Ministry of Defense.[4]

The Qalamoun Shield Forces are relatively well equipped, using technicals, 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank missile, and Syrian "Bourkan" (Vulcano) rockets. In early 2017, all fighters of QSF were trained and equipped by the Russian Armed Forces.[3][4] In regard to its combat capabilities, the QSF has been characterized by pro-government media both as auxiliary force for the regular army and as rapid reaction force.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (17 January 2017). "Quwat Dir' Al-Qalamoun: Shifting Militia Links". Syria Comment. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Assad regime recruits locals of reconciliation areas & sends them to death with "Qalamoun Shield" militia". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 17 June 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Oleg Maslov (26 June 2017). "Qalamoun Shield Forces: Capabilities And Role In Syrian War". South Front. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Qalamoun Shield Forces. What Is It?". South Front. 19 May 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  5. 1 2 "Syrian Army Prevails over Terrorists' Positions in Al-Rahjan in Hama Province". Fars News Agency. 4 December 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  6. ↑ Leith Fadel (9 March 2016). "Syrian Forces, Hezbollah mobilize for the largest desert offensive against ISIS". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 27 September 2016.
  7. ↑ Tomson, Chris (12 December 2016). "Reinforcements arrive near Palmyra as Syrian Army regroups for counter-offensive (Photos)". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 December 2016.
  8. ↑ "ISIS killed at least 179 troops, militants in August". Zaman al-Wasl. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  9. ↑ Rami Zien (10 September 2017). "Eastern Hama ISIS Pocket Shrinking Under Regime Fire". Qasioun News. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  10. ↑ Adra, Zen (27 September 2016). "Pro-government fighters redeployed to Hama amid jihadi advance [+pictures]". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Map Update: Syrian Army Captured 4 Villages From ISIS, Al-Qaeda In Northern Hama". South Front. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 29 December 2017.
  12. ↑ Fadel, Leith (4 January 2017). "Syrian Army captures several sites in Wadi Barada". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  13. 1 2 "After reconciliation, youth of Barzeh district join regime militias". Zaman al-Wasl. 15 July 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  14. ↑ "Al-Tal town: youth arrested despite reconciliation deal with regime". Zaman al-Wasl. 22 July 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  15. ↑ Andrew Illingworth (30 December 2017). "Pictures: Battalion of elite troops sent to Damascus to help Syrian Army turn back Nusra-led offensive". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
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