Raqqa Hawks Brigade
| Raqqa Hawks Brigade | |
|---|---|
|
لواء صقور الرقة Liwa Suqur al Raqqa Participant in Syrian Civil War | |
|
Logo of the Raqqa Hawks Brigade. | |
| Active | 2016 — present |
| Groups | |
| Leaders | |
| Headquarters | Tell Abyad |
| Area of operations | |
| Size |
c. 1,000[10] |
| Part of |
 Syrian Democratic Forces |
| Originated as |
 Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa sub-unit[11] |
| Allies |
YPG, YPJ, MFS and other SDF affiliates United States Syrian government (Tajamou al-Shamal only)[5] |
| Opponents |
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant |
| Battles and wars | |
The Raqqa Hawks Brigade (Arabic: لواء صقور الرقة, translit. Liwa Suqur al Raqqa), also known as Raqqa Falcons Brigade, is a primarily Arab militia, composed mostly of Raqqa natives,[10][9] that is part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and fights against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). The unit's stated goal is to recapture its home city from ISIL.[8]
History
The unit was originally a battalion of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, but left the group sometime during 2016.[11] Its members are motivated by a variety of reasons, such as a desire for revenge against ISIL and to free their homelands from ISIL's oppressive and repressive regime.[9]
When the group joined the offensive to capture Raqqa in November 2016,[12] it had around 1,000 fighters and was expected to be a "key component of the fight for the city".[10] The Raqqa Hawks Brigade possesses several technicals and gun trucks, the latter of which were mostly captured from ISIL.[14] In mid-November, the Raqqa Hawks Brigade took part in the several days-long battle for Tal Saman, the ISIL headquarters in the northern Raqqa countryside.[3]
In December, tensions rose between Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa and the Raqqa Hawks Brigade, with several military commanders of the former reportedly defecting to the latter. On 27 December, however, the Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa commanders claimed on video that they had been kidnapped by the Raqqa Hawks Brigade and forced to announce their defection, and that they were still loyal to Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa.[15]
On 20 February 2017, one sub-commander of the Raqqa Hawks Brigade, Abu Yamen al-Meko, who reportedly had strong links to the Military Intelligence Directorate, declared his loyalty to Bashar al-Assad and formed the pro-government unit "Tajamou al-Shamal".[4] His followers consequently raised the Ba'athist flag at their headquarters in the village of al-Fares. These actions, however, provoked the ire of Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa, which launched a surprise attack on al-Fares two days later and destroyed al-Meko's faction, killing or capturing its members. Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa went on to declare that it "would never allow the regime and its supporting militia to re-enter the city [of Raqqa] by any means".[5][6]
On 26 March, the Raqqa Hawks Brigade reportedly spearheaded the assault on the Tabqa Airbase.[16]
On 11 April, the US Air Force mistakenly bombed a position held by the Raqqa Hawks Brigade near the city of al-Thawrah and killed around 17 fighters from the group. BBC producer Riam Dalati went on to claim that the airstrike had been called in by the YPG, which was denied by YPG spokesman Rêdûr Xelîl. The killed fighters were buried with full military honors on the next day near Tell Abyad, with thousands of locals participating in the funeral.[7][17][18]
The Raqqa Hawks were among the SDF units that took part in the assault on Raqqa city in June 2017.[13]
Organization
Though the Raqqa Hawks Brigade reportedly includes mostly fighters from Raqqa,[10][9] at least one of its sub-units, the Ghanim group, is composed of people from northern Raqqa Governorate, primarily Tell Abyad. The Ghanim group has been accused by pro-opposition media to be partly funded and equipped by the Air Force Intelligence Directorate and Russia.[1] Another sub-unit was the group of Abu Yamen al-Meko, who later formed the pro-Assad faction "Tajamou al-Shamal". This group was based in the village of al-Fares west of Tell Abyad, and was eventually destroyed by Jabhat Thuwar al-Raqqa on 22 February 2017.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Raqqa Post (7 September 2016). "#Syria - Raqqa suspicious factions with the PYD". Yallasouriya. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 "Fighters from all al-Raqqa clans participate in the liberation camiagn". Hawar News Agency. 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
- 1 2 3 J.O (20 November 2016). "Wrath of Euphrates fighters head for al-Sokeri". Hawar News Agency. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- 1 2 "Would Assad regime Go into on the battle of #Raqqa ?". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "“Thwar al-Raqqa” Brigade Attacks the pro-Assad regime “Tajamou’ al-Shamal” north of #Raqqa". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- 1 2 "#Syria - Raqqa - Thuwar Raqqa faction assaults a pro–Assad faction". Yallasouriya. 23 February 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
- 1 2 Fergus Kelly (13 April 2017). "‘Misdirected’ US coalition airstrike killed 18 SDF personnel near Tabqa, Syria". Grasswire. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- 1 2 "A military commander" we will besiege gangs on all sides"". Hawar News Agency. 7 November 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "Every fighter in al-Raqqa has a story to tell". Hawar News Agency. 4 January 2017. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 "Syrian rebels announce offensive to retake Raqqa". Al Jazeera. 6 November 2016.
- 1 2 "Operations Room Wrath of the Euphrates". Syrian Rebellion Obs.
- 1 2 J.O (6 November 2016). "Who is taking part in Ghadab al-Firat campaign?". Hawar News Agency. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- 1 2 "Great War for the liberation of Raqqa begins". Hawar News Agency. 6 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
- ↑ "KufriusMaximus" (19 January 2017). "Liwa Suqur al Raqqa - لواء صقور الرقة - Raqqa Hawks Brigade". Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ↑ ""Intentionally" fights Arab allies .. and "revolutionaries tenderness" reveal planned". Baladi News. 27 December 2016.
- ↑ "SDF Entered Strategic Tabqa Air Base West Of Raqqah". South Front. 26 March 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
- ↑ "Girê Sipî holds funeral ceremonies for 17 strugglers". Hawar News Agency. 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
- ↑ "17 cangorî bi merasîmeke bi heybet hatin oxirkirin". Hawar News Agency (in Kurdish). 13 April 2017. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
