Syrian Army
The Syrian Army (SyA or SA), officially the Syrian Arab Army (SyAA or SAA) (Arabic: الْجَيْشُ الْعَرَبيُّ السُّورِيُّ, romanized: al-Jayš al-ʿArabī as-Sūrī), is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the most senior posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the combined services. The Syrian Army originated in local military forces formed by the French after World War I, after France obtained a mandate over the region.[5] It officially came into being in 1945, before Syria obtained full independence the following year.
Not to be confused with Syrian National Army.Syrian Army
1 August 1945[1]
1971 (current form)
"Arabic: حُمَاةَ الدِّيَارِ" (Guardians of the Homeland)
- Service uniform: Khaki, Olive
- Combat uniform: Green, Black, Khaki
August 1st
Gen. Abdul Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim
Since 1946, it has played a major role in Syria's governance, mounting 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 1951, 1954, 1963, 1966, and 1970. It has fought four wars with Israel (1948, the Six-Day War in 1967, the Yom Kippur War of 1973, and 1982 Lebanon War) and one with Jordan (Black September in Jordan, 1970). An armored division was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91 during the Gulf War, but saw little action. From 1976 to 2005 it was the major pillar of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Internally, it played a major part in suppressing the 1979–82 Islamist uprising in Syria, and since early 2011 has been heavily engaged in fighting the Syrian Civil War, the most violent and prolonged war the Syrian Army has taken part in since its establishment in the 1940s.
Demographics[edit]
Sunni and Shia (Alawite) Muslims make up the majority of the Syrian Arab Army and many hold high governmental positions.[57] Religious minorities also serve in the Army, such as Druzes, Christians and Yazidis. From the start of the Syrian Civil War till now, the Syrian Arab Army has been composed mainly of Sunni Syrians (for example, the 4th Mechanized Division is entirely composed and led by Sunnis),[58] with mixed religious leadership at higher military positions.[59]
Since 2022, the Minister of Defense and also Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ali Mahmoud Abbas, and Major General Mufid Hassan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff, are some of the Sunni Muslims in the positions of power.[60] Some volunteer brigades, such as Arab Nationalist Guard, are made up of Sunni Syrians and other Sunnis from the Middle Eastern region that adhere to pan-Arab ideals.[61]
