340:
ammunition but also basic necessities such as food. In an environment of an internationally imposed embargo the Syrian government reached out to wealthy and well connected individuals (often of highly controversial background) such as
Mohamed Jaber and Ayman Jaber in order to provide the necessary resources. In addition, the Syrian government allowed such individuals to form private militia units, such as Desert Hawks, whose members were better equipped than regular army soldiers due to connections and financial resources available to the Jaber brothers. Some sources also state that "paramilitary recruitment has been far more successful than army conscription, as it tends to occur through local, informal networks and family or community ties... it’s also easier to join a paramilitary group and then leave it".
403:(a sister unit of the Desert Hawks which is led by Ayman Jaber the brother of Desert Hawks leader Mohamed Jaber) participated in the unsuccessful Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive with some sources blaming the stated units for the failure. However, other sources pointed to a general lack of planning in the Syrian Arab Army high command as the root cause of the failure. The offensive began shortly after Kurdish forces achieved notable advances in Manbij and the Syrian command attempted to exploit this, reportedly believing that ISIL would be unable to fight on two different fronts simultaneously.
138:
82:
150:
110:
429:
Syria in order to increase their own personal wealth. Subsequently, the Desert Hawks were stigmatized as Jaber's own personal guard and only then a pro-government unit of possibly questionable long-term loyalty to the current Syrian government. On the other hand, other pro-government units had a similar oligarch background, for example, the Syrian Arab Army Tiger Forces (which are highly praised in the pro-government media).
162:
121:
99:
428:
were one of the most combat effective pro-government units. However, the units success on the battlefield was frequently overshadowed by the highly negative public perceptions of their founders (Mohamed Jaber and Ayman Jaber) who are portrayed as warlords and smugglers exploiting the war situation in
339:
to cut routes used by anti-government rebel groups to smuggle fighters and supplies in and out of Syria. However, other sources state that the group was formed in early 2013 due to a near general collapse of the Syrian Army supply system where by mid-2012 the Army soldiers lacked not only fuel and
395:
The unit participated in both
Palmyra liberation campaigns. However, during the first liberation campaign, in March 2016, it was involved in a friendly fire incident with the SAA Tiger Forces members which left 9 Desert Hawk members dead and several dozen injured. The incident badly strained the
28:
412:
In late June 2017 the unit deployed to the East Hama front but was withdrawn after only a few days due to unknown reasons. In early July 2017, reports emerged that members of the unit had allegedly desecrated corpses of killed ISIL terrorists.
380:
In
December 2015 the unit participated in operation which rescued a downed Russian co-pilot after his plane was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet (the pilot was killed by anti-government armed forces while descending to the ground).
315:. It was primarily composed of former military officers and veterans as well as volunteers from other pro-government groups, with an age range of 25 to 40 years. The brigade has been described as an "elite" group trained in
461:
which is commanded by his brother, Colonel Aymen Jaber. A transfer to the closely linked Syrian
Marines seemed unlikely since the personnel from this unit have also began transferring to other units.
319:
tactics, and has been employed in special assignments on several fronts. The group was equipped with light and medium arms, and was given artillery support from the regular Syrian Army when needed.
505:
854:
1159:
1154:
971:
897:
377:
In
November 2014 during the battle for Shaer gas field the units (operational) commander Mohsen Hussein was killed while attempting to expel ISIL terrorists from the facility.
945:
534:
252:
828:
374:, Suqur al-Sahra was transferred to that front, where its members helped lead the capture of the strategic height of Tower 45, losing at least three members in combat.
1089:
389:
125:
1103:
1009:
343:
Although funded and formed by the Jaber brothers the unit was operationally led by Staff
Colonel Mohsen Said Hussein, a Republican Guard officer and paratrooper.
207:
202:
396:
relationship/cooperation between the two most successful Syrian pro-government units which had successfully cooperated just one month prior, in East Aleppo.
509:
1071:
858:
242:
232:
755:
409:
In early 2017 one of the Desert Hawks founders was arrested by other government forces after supposedly "interfering with a government convoy".
1164:
991:
1149:
667:
262:
222:
197:
1129:
212:
770:
729:
795:
901:
187:
949:
538:
712:
1035:
227:
883:
832:
257:
103:
385:
247:
1107:
622:
450:
1013:
1036:"Syrian Army Desert Hawks pose and take photos with the severed heads of IS fighters they killed in eastern Hama, Syria"
237:
346:
One of the units tasks was to protect the oil and gas fields on Syrian territory and serve as a rapid response force.
926:
564:
458:
406:
Desert Hawks participated in the Aleppo liberation campaign which was successfully concluded in
December 2016.
1049:
645:
1072:"Gangster's Paradise: Assad's Control Erodes as Warlords Gain Upper Hand - SPIEGEL ONLINE - International"
446:
359:
267:
217:
192:
595:
363:
272:
437:
On 2 August 2017, the Desert Hawks
Brigade was disbanded, with Colonel Jaber returning to Russia,
1083:
683:
445:
region to continue his pre-war employment. The soldiers will allegedly be spread out between the
416:
By
September 2019, more than 1,000 Desert Hawks members were killed during the Syrian Civil War.
675:
475:
976:
480:
308:
137:
114:
733:
328:
312:
304:
180:
142:
506:"Senior Al-Qaeda Fighter Killed at Sheikh Miskeen; Desert Hawks Reassigned to Dara'a Front"
927:"No end in sight: Failed Tabqa offensive reveals underlying shortcomings of regime forces"
695:
288:
946:"Russia Enters the Battle for Raqqa Through the "Desert Hawks" - ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English"
485:
454:
400:
154:
1143:
167:
992:"Array of pro-Syrian government forces advances in Aleppo - FDD's Long War Journal"
470:
425:
355:
27:
855:"Tiger Forces complete the east Aleppo encirclement: 800+ ISIS fighters trapped"
756:"Assad Regime Militias and Shi'ite Jihadis in the Syrian Civil War - bellingcat"
86:
815:""Suqur al-Sahara" - "Desert Eagles" unit - Saving Russian pilot[News]"
814:
898:"Disastrous turn of events force the Syrian Army to withdraw from west Raqqa"
796:"Syria's Desert Hawks and the Loyalist Response to ISIS - Small Wars Journal"
367:
646:"Syrian army supply crisis has regime on brink of collapse, say defectors"
1104:"How the Tiger Forces became the most effective fighting force in Syria"
438:
1130:"Exclusive: Over 900 Syrian Marines join elite military shield forces"
535:"Pro-government "Desert Hawks" disbanded after three years of service"
388:, the brigade developed a close connection to the Shia militant group
442:
371:
336:
316:
59:
972:"Syria's civil war is almost over - and it looks like Assad has won"
358:, where it lost one of its commanders in the fighting. After rebels
69:
332:
771:"Strength in Weakness: The Syrian Army's Accidental Resilience"
668:"EXCLUSIVE-Assad's secret oil lifeline: Iraqi crude from Egypt"
829:"Desert Hawks redeploy to west Palmyra to lead new offensice"
713:"The Decay of the Syrian Regime is Much Worse Than You Think"
565:"Liwa Usud al-Hussein: A New Pro-Assad Militia in Latakia"
303:) was an armed private militia branch affiliated with the
623:""صقور الصحراء" تظهر في كسب: نصب كمائن ومهمات خاصة صعبة!"
354:
It participated in the June 2013 capture of the town of
1010:"Desert Hawks withdraw forces from east Hama offensive"
790:
788:
786:
784:
884:"Regime Forces arrest Sea Falcons Commander's brother"
392:, which began to provide advisors to Suqur al-Sahara.
424:
The Desert Hawks together with the Syrian Arab Army
724:
722:
707:
705:
327:According to some sources, the group was formed in
173:
131:
92:
75:
65:
55:
45:
37:
18:
529:
527:
508:. Al-Masdar News. 12 November 2014. Archived from
1160:Military units and formations established in 2013
1070:Germany, SPIEGEL ONLINE, Hamburg (8 March 2017).
878:
876:
1155:Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war
617:
615:
613:
921:
919:
596:"The Desert Falcons: An Elite Pro-Assad Force"
253:Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016)
331:and operated in the desert regions bordering
32:Desert Hawks Brigade shoulder sleeve insginia
8:
1088:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
1050:"The History of Suqur al-Sahara': Interview"
589:
587:
585:
563:Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (19 February 2016).
15:
558:
556:
1065:
1063:
594:al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (8 April 2014).
399:In June 2016 the unit together with the
203:Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016)
666:Editorial, Reuters (23 December 2013).
497:
185:
1081:
691:
681:
661:
659:
7:
263:Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (June 2016)
243:Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015)
233:Al-Ghab offensive (July–August 2015)
223:Second Battle of the Shaer gas field
168:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
366:and seized control of the majority-
292:
857:. 20 February 2016. Archived from
730:"Who are the Syrian Desert Hawks?"
14:
831:. 7 February 2017. Archived from
457:of 103rd Commando Brigade of the
944:Al-awsat, Asharq (6 June 2016).
307:which fought on the side of the
160:
148:
136:
119:
108:
97:
80:
26:
537:. 2 August 2017. Archived from
213:East Aleppo offensive (2015–16)
1106:. 11 July 2016. Archived from
1012:. 15 July 2017. Archived from
900:. 22 June 2016. Archived from
644:Harding, Luke (27 July 2012).
258:Palmyra offensive (March 2016)
1:
813:furby raffa (24 April 2017).
732:. 4 June 2016. Archived from
1165:2013 establishments in Syria
238:Palmyra offensive (May 2015)
1150:Anti-ISIL factions in Syria
775:Carnegie Middle East Center
1181:
625:. El Nashra. 1 April 2014
386:2015–16 Latakia offensive
248:2015–16 Latakia offensive
208:Operation Dawn of Victory
25:
453:, the 5th Corps and the
996:FDD's Long War Journal
447:Qalamoun Shield Forces
420:Portrayal in the media
268:2016 Latakia offensive
218:2014 Latakia offensive
193:Operation Canopus Star
104:National Defence Force
21:(Liwa Suqur al-Sahara)
931:spioenkop.blogspot.hr
451:3rd Armoured Division
360:launched an offensive
297:liwāʾ suqūr aṣ-ṣaḥrāʾ
817:– via YouTube.
800:smallwarsjournal.com
301:Liwa Suqur al-Sahara
285:Desert Hawks Brigade
19:Desert Hawks Brigade
1132:. 23 February 2017.
1056:. 4 September 2019.
758:. 30 November 2016.
364:Latakia Governorate
273:2017 Hama offensive
228:4th Daraa offensive
66:Active regions
41:Col. Mohammad Jaber
998:. 9 December 2016.
861:on 10 October 2017
769:Khaddour, Kheder.
694:has generic name (
678:on August 3, 2017.
541:on 23 October 2018
51:2013 – August 2017
47:Dates of operation
977:Independent.co.uk
715:. 31 August 2016.
512:on 29 August 2018
481:Syrian Resistance
384:In course of the
309:Syrian government
293:لواء صقور الصحراء
281:
280:
198:Operation Rainbow
115:Syrian Resistance
1172:
1134:
1133:
1126:
1120:
1119:
1117:
1115:
1100:
1094:
1093:
1087:
1079:
1067:
1058:
1057:
1054:aymennjawad.org/
1046:
1040:
1039:
1032:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1021:
1016:on 3 August 2017
1006:
1000:
999:
988:
982:
981:
968:
962:
961:
959:
957:
952:on 3 August 2017
948:. Archived from
941:
935:
934:
923:
914:
913:
911:
909:
894:
888:
887:
880:
871:
870:
868:
866:
851:
845:
844:
842:
840:
835:on 3 August 2017
825:
819:
818:
810:
804:
803:
792:
779:
778:
766:
760:
759:
752:
746:
745:
743:
741:
736:on 3 August 2017
726:
717:
716:
709:
700:
699:
693:
689:
687:
679:
674:. Archived from
663:
654:
653:
641:
635:
634:
632:
630:
619:
608:
607:
605:
603:
591:
580:
579:
577:
575:
560:
551:
550:
548:
546:
531:
522:
521:
519:
517:
502:
459:Republican Guard
441:or the disputed
329:Homs Governorate
313:Syrian Civil War
305:Syrian Arab Army
294:
188:Battle of Aleppo
181:Syrian Civil War
174:Battles and wars
166:
164:
163:
153:
152:
151:
143:Free Syrian Army
141:
140:
124:
123:
122:
113:
112:
111:
102:
101:
100:
85:
84:
83:
48:
30:
16:
1180:
1179:
1175:
1174:
1173:
1171:
1170:
1169:
1140:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1128:
1127:
1123:
1113:
1111:
1110:on 11 July 2016
1102:
1101:
1097:
1080:
1069:
1068:
1061:
1048:
1047:
1043:
1034:
1033:
1029:
1019:
1017:
1008:
1007:
1003:
990:
989:
985:
980:. 6 March 2017.
970:
969:
965:
955:
953:
943:
942:
938:
925:
924:
917:
907:
905:
904:on 22 June 2016
896:
895:
891:
882:
881:
874:
864:
862:
853:
852:
848:
838:
836:
827:
826:
822:
812:
811:
807:
794:
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782:
768:
767:
763:
754:
753:
749:
739:
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728:
727:
720:
711:
710:
703:
690:
680:
665:
664:
657:
643:
642:
638:
628:
626:
621:
620:
611:
601:
599:
598:. Syria Comment
593:
592:
583:
573:
571:
562:
561:
554:
544:
542:
533:
532:
525:
515:
513:
504:
503:
499:
494:
476:Ba'ath Brigades
467:
435:
422:
352:
350:Service history
325:
277:
184:
183:
161:
159:
157:
149:
147:
145:
135:
120:
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109:
107:
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98:
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81:
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46:
33:
20:
12:
11:
5:
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1162:
1157:
1152:
1142:
1141:
1136:
1135:
1121:
1095:
1059:
1041:
1027:
1001:
983:
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936:
915:
889:
872:
846:
820:
805:
780:
761:
747:
718:
701:
655:
636:
609:
581:
552:
523:
496:
495:
493:
490:
489:
488:
486:Syrian Marines
483:
478:
473:
466:
463:
455:Syrian Marines
434:
431:
421:
418:
401:Syrian Marines
351:
348:
324:
321:
279:
278:
276:
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265:
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255:
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235:
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179:
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171:
170:
155:Al-Nusra Front
133:
129:
128:
94:
90:
89:
77:
73:
72:
67:
63:
62:
57:
53:
52:
49:
43:
42:
39:
35:
34:
31:
23:
22:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1177:
1166:
1163:
1161:
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1145:
1131:
1125:
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1028:
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1005:
1002:
997:
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987:
984:
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973:
967:
964:
951:
947:
940:
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932:
928:
922:
920:
916:
903:
899:
893:
890:
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873:
860:
856:
850:
847:
834:
830:
824:
821:
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809:
806:
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797:
791:
789:
787:
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776:
772:
765:
762:
757:
751:
748:
735:
731:
725:
723:
719:
714:
708:
706:
702:
697:
685:
677:
673:
669:
662:
660:
656:
651:
647:
640:
637:
624:
618:
616:
614:
610:
597:
590:
588:
586:
582:
570:
569:Syria Comment
566:
559:
557:
553:
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536:
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511:
507:
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105:
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91:
88:
78:
74:
71:
68:
64:
61:
58:
54:
50:
44:
40:
36:
29:
24:
17:
1124:
1112:. Retrieved
1108:the original
1098:
1075:
1053:
1044:
1030:
1018:. Retrieved
1014:the original
1004:
995:
986:
975:
966:
954:. Retrieved
950:the original
939:
930:
906:. Retrieved
902:the original
892:
863:. Retrieved
859:the original
849:
837:. Retrieved
833:the original
823:
808:
799:
774:
764:
750:
738:. Retrieved
734:the original
692:|first=
676:the original
671:
650:The Guardian
649:
639:
627:. Retrieved
600:. Retrieved
574:17 September
572:. Retrieved
568:
543:. Retrieved
539:the original
514:. Retrieved
510:the original
500:
471:Tiger Forces
436:
426:Tiger Forces
423:
415:
411:
408:
405:
398:
394:
383:
379:
376:
362:in northern
356:al-Qaryatayn
353:
345:
342:
326:
300:
296:
284:
282:
146:
56:Headquarters
1076:Der Spiegel
516:12 November
433:Disbandment
87:Syrian Army
1144:Categories
492:References
1084:cite news
684:cite news
132:Opponents
1114:2 August
1020:2 August
956:2 August
908:2 August
865:2 August
839:2 August
740:2 August
629:27 April
602:27 April
545:2 August
465:See also
370:town of
368:Armenian
672:Reuters
439:Ukraine
323:History
311:in the
76:Part of
38:Leaders
443:Crimea
372:Kessab
337:Jordan
317:ambush
289:Arabic
165:
93:Allies
60:Aleppo
70:Syria
1116:2017
1090:link
1022:2017
958:2017
910:2017
867:2017
841:2017
742:2017
696:help
631:2014
604:2014
576:2016
547:2017
518:2014
390:LAAG
335:and
333:Iraq
283:The
126:LAAG
1146::
1086:}}
1082:{{
1074:.
1062:^
1052:.
994:.
974:.
929:.
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875:^
798:.
783:^
773:.
721:^
704:^
688::
686:}}
682:{{
670:.
658:^
648:.
612:^
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567:.
555:^
526:^
449:,
299:,
295:,
291::
1118:.
1092:)
1078:.
1038:.
1024:.
960:.
933:.
912:.
886:.
869:.
843:.
802:.
777:.
744:.
698:)
652:.
633:.
606:.
578:.
549:.
520:.
287:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
