Tiger Forces

Tiger Forces
Qawat Al-Nimr (قوات النمر)
Active 2013–present
Country Syria Syrian Arab Republic
Branch Syrian Army
Type Light infantry
Role Offensive operations
Size Battalion: ~1,000 (February 2017)[1]
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		 Maj. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan

Tiger Forces or Qawat Al-Nimr (Arabic: قوات النمر‎‎) is a special unit of the Syrian Arab Army which functions primarily as an offensive unit in the Syrian Civil War. It has been described as a "hot commodity for any government offensive", but their relatively small numbers make it difficult to deploy them to multiple fronts at once.[2] Despite officially being called a division,[3] it is estimated that the actual size of the Tiger Forces is closer to a battalion.[1]

History

After successful operations in Latakia and Hama, Colonel Suheil al-Hassan was tasked a special project by the Syrian Armed Forces Central Command in the fall of 2013—to train and lead a Special Forces unit that would work primarily as an offensive unit. Colonel Hassan handpicked many of the soldiers that would later form the Tiger Forces.[4] On 25 December 2015, Suheil al-Hassan was promoted to major general after refusing to be brigadier general last year.[5] He played a key role in commanding Syrian troops during 2016 Aleppo campaign. Tiger Forces were tasked two times to cut the key supply lines to rebel-held Aleppo.

Since the Russian intervention, they have provided the Tiger Forces with infantry equipment; including the AK-74M and 1P87 collimator sights.[1] The Tiger Forces were one of few in the Syrian Army to first deploy Russian T-90 tanks,[6] others being the 4th Mechanized Division and Desert Hawks Brigade.[7][8] In the aftermath of the December 2015 Aleppo Offensive, Tiger Forces deployed a Russian-supplied Rys LMV.[1] It was seen after defeating ISIS in the village of ‘Ayn Al-Hanish, Deir Hafer Plains.[9]

The most famous and effective tactic that the Tiger Forces use is; they probe the enemy from multiple axes to find a weak spot, then they send a large mechanized force to that area and capture many villages at once.[10]

Subunits

The Tiger Forces have multiple special operations "brigades" (size of a company):

Cheetah Forces[11] or Qawat al-Fahoud (قوات الفهود)[12] – The current commander is Colonel Shadi Isma’el and the deputy commander is Colonel Lu’ayy Sleitan.[11] Subunits of the Cheetah Forces include Team 3 and Team 6. Team 6 were the first soldiers that ended the 35-month long Siege of Kuweires Military Airbase,[13][14] while Team 3 along with the Desert Hawks Brigade completed the East Aleppo ISIS encirclement.[15]

Panther Forces[16] – The current commander is Colonel Ali Shaheen.[17] They were involved in the Palmyra offensive (March 2016), where they were redeployed to another front after it was over.[16][17]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Syrian Army's Tiger Forces: History And Capabilities". South Front. 14 February 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  2. ↑ Leith Fadel (10 November 2015). "Exclusive: Tiger Forces to Redeploy to Northern Hama". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  3. ↑ Andrew Illingworth (29 July 2017). "BREAKING: First video ever of Tiger Forces inside Deir Ezzor". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  4. ↑ Leith Fadel (26 February 2015). "Who is Colonel Suheil al-Hassan of the Tiger Forces?". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  5. ↑ Leith Fadel (15 December 2015). "Prominent Tiger Forces Commander Promoted to Major General". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
  6. ↑ Leith Fadel (28 May 2016). "Tiger Forces mobilize T-90 tanks for upcoming Aleppo offensive". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 7 June 2016.
  7. ↑ Leith Fadel (23 January 2016). "Convoy of Russian T-90 tanks arrive in southern Aleppo". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 8 June 2016.
  8. ↑ Chris Tomson (31 October 2016). "VIDEO: Syrian Army deploys T-90 tanks in the battle for Aleppo". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Leith Fadel (26 January 2016). "Tiger Forces continue encirclement of ISIS in east Aleppo". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  10. ↑ Izat Charkatli (24 May 2017). "Syrian Army on verge of kicking ISIS out of Aleppo province: Map Update". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 11 August 2017.
  11. 1 2 Leith Fadel (19 October 2015). "Cheetah Forces Capture 30km of Territory from ISIS in East Aleppo: Kuweires Airport Within Sight". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "The Russian Deployment in Syria and Iraq Makes Its Presence Felt" (pDF). Files.ethz.ch. Retrieved 2017-06-23.
  13. ↑ Chris Tomson (11 November 2015). "Syrian Army and Hezbollah Advance in Southern and Eastern Aleppo – Latest Map Update". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Leith Fadel (10 November 2015). "Cheetah Forces Lift the Three Year Long Siege of the Kuweires Military Airbase". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Leith Fadel (20 February 2016). "Tiger Forces complete the east Aleppo encirclement: 800+ ISIS fighters trapped". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  16. 1 2 Leith Fadel (5 March 2016). "Russian Air Force hammers ISIS’ oil routes in east Homs as the Syrian Army advances on Palmyra". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  17. 1 2 Leith Fadel (18 April 2016). "Syrian Army cancels the Palmyra-Deir Ezzor offensive". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 6 June 2016.

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