Brig. Gen. Ghiath Dalla[10] (42nd Brigade) Brig. Gen. Kamal Salah Shaddud[11] (138th Brigade) Brig. Gen. Jawdat Ibrahim Safi (154th Regiment) Brig. Gen. Jamal Yunes (555th Regiment)[12] Maj. Gen. Asif Al-Daker (Military Police Commander)[13] Maj. Gen. Ghassan Nafie Bilal (Security Office Commander)[14]
Notable commanders
Maj. Gen. Mohamed Ali Durgham Maj. Gen. Ghassan Belal[13] Maj. Gen. Ali Mahmoud[15]
The 4th Armoured Division (
Arabic: الفرقة الرابعة,
romanized: al-Firqa ar-Rābiʿah) is an elite
formation of the
Syrian Army whose primary purpose is to defend the
Syrian government from internal and external threats. The division is considered one of the most combat-ready formations of the Syrian Arab Army. It played a key role in some battles of the
Syrian Civil War.[17]
History
1984–2011
The division has its roots in the
Defense Companies commanded by
Rifaat al-Assad, younger brother of President
Hafez al-Assad. After Rifaat was banished from Syria in 1984, the Defense Companies were reorganised into the 569th Armoured Division, and later into the 4th Armoured Division.[18]
The Division is regarded by some as the best trained and best equipped of the Syrian Army.[19] The 4th Armoured Division, the
Republican Guard, and Syria's
secret police form the heart of the country's security forces. As a result, the Division is drawn mostly from members of the same
Alawite group as the
Assad family.[20]
The Division has a military base in the south of Damascus, covering about 91 square kilometres (35 sq mi) and including several mountain bunkers. Its main entrance gate is located next to the village of
Al-Horjelah.[21][22]
During the uprising phase of the Syrian civil war, the 4th Armoured Division played a key role in attempting to put down uprisings, being sent to quell protests in the southern city of
Daraa, the coastal city of
Baniyas, the central province of
Homs and the northern province of
Idlib.
Alawite officers from the 4th Armoured Division have been sent to other formations within the Syrian army in an attempt by the government to keep a closer eye and firmer grip on many
Sunni dominated formations,[23] with the officers sent from the division relying on the division's fearsome reputation to keep soldiers in line.
Both the division as a whole and its component parts have been accused of engaging in human rights abuses during the Syrian uprising, such as arbitrary arrests and beatings, and the shooting of unarmed protesters.[24] Their use by the Syrian regime in the uprising has led to many of the division's commanders being subject to EU sanctions and travel bans.
A July 2013 report by a pro-government websites stated that
Maher al-Assad had been commanding troops in the Aleppo and Homs theatre of operations.[25] Later in 2020, there were reports of their control over international border crossings, such as
Nasib Border Crossing and other illegal border crossings between Lebanon and Syria, which are used as financial sources to cover their expenses.[26]
As of 2021, the 4th Division consists of four brigades: 38, 40, 41, 42 and 138. Regiments 154, 333, 555, and 666 are affiliated with it. All of these military units belong to the Armored Corps. Specialized factions and brigades are affiliated with it as well.[17] The 4th Division also has other army sectors and a number of regular soldiers, including conscripts and recruits, is approximately 18,000.[17] The structure has a standard five-brigade composition of four armored and one motorized infantry brigades, with additional artillery, special forces units and logistics support units.
Up to 90% of the division's soldiers, numbering from 12 to 25 thousand people (according to various estimates), are professionals (contract soldiers), unlike most other Syrian Army units, formed from
conscripts.[27] About 80% of the division's soldiers and officers are
Alawites.[28][29] The 4th Division lost many experienced officers and runs its own training program, it is not adopting any practices brought in by Russia or incorporated by other army units.[30]
Weapons
It has about 500 tanks of various models, in addition to armored vehicles (APCs, IFVs) for transporting supplies, infantry, etc.[17][31] The 4th Division is armed with the tanks
T-90,
T-72AV,
T-72M1,
T-72B3,
T-62M and
T-55AM/MV/AMV.[32] Also, some T-72 tanks are equipped with the Italian fire control system TURMS-T with a commander’s panoramic sight and are designated as T-72S. Syrian-made
T-72 Adra and T-72 Shafrah are also part of the armored units. Artillery consists of a 122mm self-propelled gun
2S1 Gvozdika, Golan MLRS and Burkan (both MLRS in the 42nd Armored Brigade).[33]
The division played a key role in the
early insurgency phase of the Syrian civil war (2011–2012) in the government's attempts to defeat the rebels. The division's units were deployed in the city of
Daraa, the coastal city of
Baniyas,
Homs,
Idlib,
Aleppo and others.[37] Since 2012, the division has been stationed in Damascus. The first major operation outside of
Damascus Governorate in which the 4th Division took part was
Battle for Idlib in 2012. The division then conducted operations in the western and northern parts of the Damascus governorate, which consisted of blocking rebel enclaves in Wadi Barad, Jimraya, in the west
Ghouta and in Al-Tal. Subsequently, the division led the
siege of Darayya and Muadamiyat.[38]