30th Division
الفرقة 30 الحرس الجمهوري
Republican Guard shoulder sleeve insignia
ActiveJanuary 2017–present
Country Syria
Allegiance President of Syria
Branch Syrian Arab Army
TypeMechanized infantry
RoleShock troops
Size30,000 (as of 2017)[1]
Part of Republican Guard
Garrison/HQAleppo
Engagements
Commanders
Current CommanderMaj. Gen. Saleh Abdullah[2]
Chief of StaffBrig. Gen. Yusuf Abd al-Hamid Mahmoud[2]
Brigade CommandersBrig. Gen. Aqil Jumaa (106th Brigade)[3]
Notable
commanders		Maj. Gen. Ziad Ali Salah
Maj. Gen. Zeid Salih
Maj. Gen. Malik Aliaa
Brig. Gen. Rukin Mohamed Khaddor
Brig. Gen. Burhan Rahmun †[4]

The 30th Division (Arabic: الفرقة 30 الحرس الجمهوري) is an elite mechanized division of the Republican Guard of Syria, established in 2017.[5][6] Its main purpose is similar to other SRG units, to protect the second largest city of Syria, Aleppo, from any foreign or domestic threats.[2]

Commanders

  • Maj. Gen. Ziad Ali Salah (January 2017—November 2017)[7]
    • Deputy Commander: Maj. Gen. Zeid Salih
  • Brig. Gen. Malik Aliaa (November 2017—October 2022)
    • Deputy Commander: Brig. Gen. Saleh Abdullah (August 2022—October 2022)
  • Maj. Gen. Saleh Abdullah (October 2022—present)[2]
    • Chief of Staff: Brig. Gen. Yusuf Abd al-Hamid Mahmoud (October 2022—present)

Command structure

As of October 2022, according to Gregory Waters, 30th Division operates six brigades, two special forces regiments and one artillery regiment:[5][2]

30th Division (2022)
  • 16th Storming Brigade (created in 2020)[2]
  • 18th Mechanized Brigade, formerly part of the 10th Mechanized Division, was assigned to the 30th Division by 2018
  • 102nd Commando Brigade
  • 106th Mechanized Brigade
  • 123rd Special Forces Brigade[8]
  • 124th Special Forces Brigade[8]
  • 93rd Special Forces Regiment
  • 147th Special Forces Regiment
  • Artillery Regiment

Combat history

The 30th Division was established in January 2017, following the Syrian government’s regain of Aleppo city.[6] According Kheder Khaddour, the 30th Division united Aleppo’s local militias as an umbrella organization and for while retaining their independent operating structures.[6][9] 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.[5]

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[5] with Major General Zeid Salih as his deputy.[10] In November 2017 Brigadier General Malik Aliaa took over the command.[5][11] In October 2022, Major General Saleh Abdullah was named as a commander of the unit.[12] Until 2022, the 30th Division was rebuilt into a regular military unit composed of elite guardsmen.[5][2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Сколько людей и оружия по обе линии сирийского противостояния". Газета.Ru. Archived from the original on 31 July 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Gregory Waters (12 September 2022). "From Tiger Forces to the 16th Brigade: Russia's evolving Syrian proxies". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  3. ↑ Gregory Waters (20 November 2019). "Return to the northeast: Syrian Army deployments against Turkish forces". Middle East Institute. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  4. ↑ "Syrian regime commander reportedly killed in Turkish drone strike in Aleppo". Rudaw. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 29 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 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.
  6. 1 2 3 Khaddour, Kheder (5 November 2018). "Syria's Troublesome Militias". Carnegie Middle East Center. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  7. ↑ "The General Zaid Saleh appointed as Head of the Security and Military Committee in Idleb". Syrian Observer. 4 March 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  8. 1 2 Gregory Waters (12 May 2020). "Current Syrian Army Deployments". International Review. Retrieved 17 October 2023.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ 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.
  12. ↑ Syria - The Special Forces and the Elite Units
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