Defense companies
Encyclopedia
The Defense Companies were a paramilitary force in Syria that were controlled by Rifaat al-Assad
. Their task was to defend the Assad government, and Damascus, from internal and external attack. They merged into the Syrian Army as the 4th Armoured division.
, the president's brother. The Defense Companies were garrisoned outside Damascus, with the primary mission of countering attempted coups and challenges to the Assad government. These special forces
, however, also had military missions beyond the role of a praetorian guard
.
The Defence Companies served in Syria's first armed intervention in the Lebanese Civil War
and were involved in internal security operations during the nationwide strikes and demonstrations in Aleppo
in March 1980 and in June 1980. Lt. Col. Nassif ran a revenge operation after an attempted asssassination of the president in 1980, in which a team of Defense Company soldiers killed up to 1,000 Tadmor Prison
inmates suspected of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood
. In Spring 1982, units of the Defence Companies and other elite units were deployed in Hamah to quell an Islamist uprising, in what became known as the Hama Massacre
. Members of the Defense Companies are alleged to have been involved in a February 1981 assassination attempt against the Prime Minister of Jordan Mudir Badran. In Lebanon, Defense Companies units supported pro-Syrian Lebanese militias, and cooperated closely with the Tripoli-based Arab Knights of the Arab Democratic Party
(founded in 1981 by Rifaat al Assad and composed largely of Lebanese Alawis), and the Lebanese Baath Party and its militia, the Assad Battalion.
The internal unrest of the late 1970s and early 1980s increased the president's reliance on Rifaat al-Assad, and the Defence Companies and its associated organizations grew rapidly. In 1983, President Hafez al-Assad temporarily collapsed from exhaustion or possible heart problems, and a power vacuum ensued. Rifaat used the Defence Companies to attempt to position himself as successor, but this was opposed by the ailing president and his allies in other internal security militias, as well as by the regular army. After a tense standoff in Damascus in Spring 1984, Rifaat was relieved of his command, kicked upstairs to the ceremonial role of Vice President for Security Affairs and sent abroad on an official mission to the Soviet Union. He was replaced as Defence Company commander by Lieutenant Colonel Mu'in Nassif, his deputy and brother-in-law. Nassif, in turn, was quickly replaced by General Hikmat Ibrahim, a Hafez loyalist. Soon after, the Defense Companies were renamed Unit 569 and reorganized as a standard Syrian army
armored division with four armored and mechanized brigades. This ended their existence as a separate unit. Rifaat al-Assad remains in exile in Western Europe as of 2010, opposing the rule of Hafez al-Assad's son, Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded to power in 2000.
and parachute
training. The unit included a small but symbolically visible female parachutist corps. The Defense Companies were equipped with some of the most modern weapons available to the Syrian Army
, including T-72
M tanks, SAMs, and attack helicopter
s, and could demand logistical help and support from the regular military.
The soldiers were predominantly Alawites, the ethnic community of the Assad
family. Ideological training and propaganda were intense, and focused on revolutionary Baathism, secular nationalism, and a cult of "the Leader", Rifaat al-Assad.
Rifaat al-Assad
Rifaat al-Assad is the younger brother of the former President of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, and the uncle of the current President Bashar al-Assad, all of whom come from the minority Alawite Muslim sect. He was born in the village of Qardaha, near Lattakia in western Syria. He is perhaps best known...
. Their task was to defend the Assad government, and Damascus, from internal and external attack. They merged into the Syrian Army as the 4th Armoured division.
History and deployment
The Defense Companies were founded in 1966 and were organizationally independent of the regular armed forces. They were under the command of Rifaat al-AssadRifaat al-Assad
Rifaat al-Assad is the younger brother of the former President of Syria, Hafez al-Assad, and the uncle of the current President Bashar al-Assad, all of whom come from the minority Alawite Muslim sect. He was born in the village of Qardaha, near Lattakia in western Syria. He is perhaps best known...
, the president's brother. The Defense Companies were garrisoned outside Damascus, with the primary mission of countering attempted coups and challenges to the Assad government. These special forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
, however, also had military missions beyond the role of a praetorian guard
Praetorian Guard
The Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC...
.
The Defence Companies served in Syria's first armed intervention in the Lebanese Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
The Lebanese Civil War was a multifaceted civil war in Lebanon. The war lasted from 1975 to 1990 and resulted in an estimated 150,000 to 230,000 civilian fatalities. Another one million people were wounded, and today approximately 350,000 people remain displaced. There was also a mass exodus of...
and were involved in internal security operations during the nationwide strikes and demonstrations in Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
in March 1980 and in June 1980. Lt. Col. Nassif ran a revenge operation after an attempted asssassination of the president in 1980, in which a team of Defense Company soldiers killed up to 1,000 Tadmor Prison
Tadmor Prison
Tadmor prison is located in Palmyra in the deserts of eastern Syria approximately 200 kilometers northeast of Damascus ....
inmates suspected of belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
. In Spring 1982, units of the Defence Companies and other elite units were deployed in Hamah to quell an Islamist uprising, in what became known as the Hama Massacre
Hama massacre
The Hama massacre occurred in February 1982, when the Syrian army, under the orders of the president of Syria Hafez al-Assad, conducted a scorched earth policy against the town of Hama in order to quell a revolt by the Sunni Muslim community against the regime of al-Assad...
. Members of the Defense Companies are alleged to have been involved in a February 1981 assassination attempt against the Prime Minister of Jordan Mudir Badran. In Lebanon, Defense Companies units supported pro-Syrian Lebanese militias, and cooperated closely with the Tripoli-based Arab Knights of the Arab Democratic Party
Arab Democratic Party (Lebanon)
The Arab Democratic Party – ADP or Parti Démocratique Arabe in French, is a Lebanese party, based in Tripoli. Its current leader is Ali Eid.- Origins :...
(founded in 1981 by Rifaat al Assad and composed largely of Lebanese Alawis), and the Lebanese Baath Party and its militia, the Assad Battalion.
The internal unrest of the late 1970s and early 1980s increased the president's reliance on Rifaat al-Assad, and the Defence Companies and its associated organizations grew rapidly. In 1983, President Hafez al-Assad temporarily collapsed from exhaustion or possible heart problems, and a power vacuum ensued. Rifaat used the Defence Companies to attempt to position himself as successor, but this was opposed by the ailing president and his allies in other internal security militias, as well as by the regular army. After a tense standoff in Damascus in Spring 1984, Rifaat was relieved of his command, kicked upstairs to the ceremonial role of Vice President for Security Affairs and sent abroad on an official mission to the Soviet Union. He was replaced as Defence Company commander by Lieutenant Colonel Mu'in Nassif, his deputy and brother-in-law. Nassif, in turn, was quickly replaced by General Hikmat Ibrahim, a Hafez loyalist. Soon after, the Defense Companies were renamed Unit 569 and reorganized as a standard Syrian army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
armored division with four armored and mechanized brigades. This ended their existence as a separate unit. Rifaat al-Assad remains in exile in Western Europe as of 2010, opposing the rule of Hafez al-Assad's son, Bashar al-Assad, who succeeded to power in 2000.
Structure and equipment
Members of the approximately 15,000 to 25,000 strong Defense Companies (some sources claim even higher numbers in 1983-1984) were organised into companies of 100 to 150 men, many of whom received commandoCommando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
and parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
training. The unit included a small but symbolically visible female parachutist corps. The Defense Companies were equipped with some of the most modern weapons available to the Syrian Army
Syrian Army
The Syrian Army, officially called the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the...
, including T-72
T-72
The T-72 is a Soviet-designed main battle tank that entered production in 1970. It is developed directly from Obyekt-172, and shares parallel features with the T-64A...
M tanks, SAMs, and attack helicopter
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
s, and could demand logistical help and support from the regular military.
The soldiers were predominantly Alawites, the ethnic community of the Assad
Hafez al-Assad
Hafez ibn 'Ali ibn Sulayman al-Assad or more commonly Hafez al-Assad was the President of Syria for three decades. Assad's rule consolidated the power of the central government after decades of coups and counter-coups, such as Operation Wappen in 1957 conducted by the Eisenhower administration and...
family. Ideological training and propaganda were intense, and focused on revolutionary Baathism, secular nationalism, and a cult of "the Leader", Rifaat al-Assad.