30th Division (Syria)
The 30th Division is a Syrian Division of the Republican Guard established in 2017.[1][2]
| 30th Division | |
|---|---|
| Active | January 2017 - Present |
| Country |  Syria |
| Allegiance | President of Syria |
| Branch |  Syrian Arab Army |
| Part of |  Republican Guard |
| Garrison/HQ | Aleppo |
| Engagements | Syrian Civil War |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Brig. Gen. Malik Alia |
History
The 30th Division was established in January 2017, following the Syrian Government’s regain of Aleppo city.[2] The Republican Guard created the new Division to incorporate all its units in Aleppo under a single nominal command, and to integrate the paramilitary militias in the city (already operating under the Republican Guard supervision) into the Republican Guard organization.[1]
The then-deputy commander of the Republican Guard and overall military commander of the 2016 Aleppo offensive, Major General Ziad Ali Salah, was appointed in charge of the 30th Division until November 2017[1] with Major General Zeid as his deputy.[3] In November 2017 Brigadier General Malik Alia took over the command.[1][4]
Organization
Gregory Waters acknowledged the difficulty to determine the exact structure of the 30th Division. According to Gregory Waters, it appears to operate three special forces regiments and three brigades:[1] According Kheder Khaddour, the 30th Division functions as an umbrella organization for Aleppo’s local militias while retaining independent operating structures.[2][5]
- 18th Mechanized Brigade, formerly part of the 10th Mechanised Division, was assigned to the 30th Division by 2018;
- 123rd Brigade (629th Battalion);
- 124th Brigade (872nd Battalion);
- 47th Regiment, formerly part of the Special Forces;
- 83rd Battalion, formerly part of the Special Forces;
- 147th Regiment, formerly part of the Special Forces.
See also
Notes
- Waters, Gregory (18 July 2019). "The Lion and The Eagle: The Syrian Arab Army's Destruction and Rebirth". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- Khaddour, Kheder (5 November 2018). "Syria's Troublesome Militias". Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- Al-Jabassini, Abdullah (14 May 2019). "From Insurgents to Soldiers: The Fifth Assault Corps in Daraa, Southern Syria" (PDF). European University Institute. p. 6. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- Aboufadel, Leith (27 October 2017). "Syrian Army announces new commander of elite Republican Guard unit". AMN - Al-Masdar News | المصدر نيوز. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
- Alami, Mona (6 March 2019). "Can Assad's Demobilization, Demilitarization, and Rehabilitation Strategy Actually Consolidate Syria's Paramilitary Forces?". www.washingtoninstitute.org. The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Retrieved 7 September 2019.