Liwa al-Quds ( Arabic: لواء القدس) or the Jerusalem Brigade is a predominantly Syrian Palestinian brigade that operates as a part of pro- Syrian government forces in the Syrian Civil War. Since 2019, it is part of the Syrian Army's 5th Assault Corps. [4] It was formed in 2013 by the engineer Muhammad al-Sa'eed. The fighters who call themselves the 'Syrian Arab Army Fedayeen' are active in Aleppo and Daraa. [4] The brigade is composed of Sunni Palestinians from the Neirab camp [8] and Ein Al-Tal camp as well as reconciled rebels. [1]
The militia was founded in 2013, reportedly with the support of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate. Syrian opposition supporters regard them as Shabiha. [11]
By the beginning of 2015, the group had suffered 200 killed and over 400 wounded since its establishment. [5] The group supported the Syrian Army in its effort to reopen the main supply line to Aleppo in late 2015. [12]
By mid-2016, it had become one of the most important pro-government militias in Aleppo Governorate. On 20 June 2016, the militia took part in a prisoner exchange with three rebel factions, namely the Sultan Murad Division, the Muntasir Billah Brigade, and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, in coordination with Ahrar al-Sham. [11]
In June 2017, Liwa al-Quds launched a recruitment campaign in Homs Governorate, where it aimed at enlisting young Palestinian refugees. [13] [14]
In May 2018 Liwa al-Quds was fighting against the ISIL pocket in the desert of Deir ez-Zor Governorate as a part of joint operation with the NDF and SAA forces. Liwa al-Quds captured village of Faydat Umm Muwaynah. [15]
In July 2018, Samer Rafe, a prominent commander of the militia, was arrested in Latakia after a firefight with government forces. He had previously been arrested on charges of robbery in Aleppo, confessed to the charges, and served a prison term of one year before being released. [16]
In the first half of 2019, Liwa al-Quds suffered heavy casualties on multiple fronts, most notably during Operation Dawn of Idlib. [17]
The brigade has both Syrian Palestinian as well as native Syrian members. [11] The brigade has close connections to both Iran and Russia, and is supplied as well as trained by the Russian Armed Forces. [17] [18] Its fighters refer to themselves as "Syrian Arab Army Fedayeen", showcasing their loyalty to the Syrian military. [17] Before the government victory in the Battle of Aleppo, the brigade consisted of three main battalions, which are: Lions of al-Quds Battalion, which operated in al-Nayrab camp and its surrounding as well as in southern and eastern countryside of Aleppo; the Deterrence Battalion, which operated in the north Aleppo countryside south of the villages of Nubl and Al-Zahraa; and the Lions of al-Shahba' Battalion, which operated inside Aleppo city.
By 2018, the group had started recruiting former Syrian rebels that agreed to join pro-government military units as part of reconciliation deals with the Syrian government. More than 150 former Free Syrian Army fighters had joined Liwa al-Quds by 2019. They received military training and supervision from Russian officers during the first quarter of 2019. [19] In fall 2019, Liwa al-Quds became part of the Syrian Army's 5th Assault Corps as autonomous brigade. [20] [21]
Liwa al-Quds ( Arabic: لواء القدس) or the Jerusalem Brigade is a predominantly Syrian Palestinian brigade that operates as a part of pro- Syrian government forces in the Syrian Civil War. Since 2019, it is part of the Syrian Army's 5th Assault Corps. [4] It was formed in 2013 by the engineer Muhammad al-Sa'eed. The fighters who call themselves the 'Syrian Arab Army Fedayeen' are active in Aleppo and Daraa. [4] The brigade is composed of Sunni Palestinians from the Neirab camp [8] and Ein Al-Tal camp as well as reconciled rebels. [1]
The militia was founded in 2013, reportedly with the support of the Air Force Intelligence Directorate. Syrian opposition supporters regard them as Shabiha. [11]
By the beginning of 2015, the group had suffered 200 killed and over 400 wounded since its establishment. [5] The group supported the Syrian Army in its effort to reopen the main supply line to Aleppo in late 2015. [12]
By mid-2016, it had become one of the most important pro-government militias in Aleppo Governorate. On 20 June 2016, the militia took part in a prisoner exchange with three rebel factions, namely the Sultan Murad Division, the Muntasir Billah Brigade, and the Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement, in coordination with Ahrar al-Sham. [11]
In June 2017, Liwa al-Quds launched a recruitment campaign in Homs Governorate, where it aimed at enlisting young Palestinian refugees. [13] [14]
In May 2018 Liwa al-Quds was fighting against the ISIL pocket in the desert of Deir ez-Zor Governorate as a part of joint operation with the NDF and SAA forces. Liwa al-Quds captured village of Faydat Umm Muwaynah. [15]
In July 2018, Samer Rafe, a prominent commander of the militia, was arrested in Latakia after a firefight with government forces. He had previously been arrested on charges of robbery in Aleppo, confessed to the charges, and served a prison term of one year before being released. [16]
In the first half of 2019, Liwa al-Quds suffered heavy casualties on multiple fronts, most notably during Operation Dawn of Idlib. [17]
The brigade has both Syrian Palestinian as well as native Syrian members. [11] The brigade has close connections to both Iran and Russia, and is supplied as well as trained by the Russian Armed Forces. [17] [18] Its fighters refer to themselves as "Syrian Arab Army Fedayeen", showcasing their loyalty to the Syrian military. [17] Before the government victory in the Battle of Aleppo, the brigade consisted of three main battalions, which are: Lions of al-Quds Battalion, which operated in al-Nayrab camp and its surrounding as well as in southern and eastern countryside of Aleppo; the Deterrence Battalion, which operated in the north Aleppo countryside south of the villages of Nubl and Al-Zahraa; and the Lions of al-Shahba' Battalion, which operated inside Aleppo city.
By 2018, the group had started recruiting former Syrian rebels that agreed to join pro-government military units as part of reconciliation deals with the Syrian government. More than 150 former Free Syrian Army fighters had joined Liwa al-Quds by 2019. They received military training and supervision from Russian officers during the first quarter of 2019. [19] In fall 2019, Liwa al-Quds became part of the Syrian Army's 5th Assault Corps as autonomous brigade. [20] [21]