Back جيش سوريا الحرة Arabic Arme Komando Reveulzier Breton Nová syrská armáda Czech Revolutionäre Kommandoarmee German Ejército Comando Revolucionario Spanish ارتش تکاوران انقلاب Persian Armée des commandos de la révolution French シリア自由軍 Japanese 마그하웨이 알타우라 Korean Армия свободной Сирии Russian

Syrian Free Army

Not to be confused with Free Syrian Army.
Syrian Free Army
Leaders
  • Salem Turki al-Antri (since February 2024)[1]
  • Muhammad Farid al-Qasim (until February 2024)[2]
  • Muhammad Ahmad[3] (until September 2022)[2]
  • Captain Abdullah al-Zoubi[4]
    (since December 2016, RCA)
  • Bara Fares[5]
    (media spokesperson)
  • Muhammad Jarrah[6]
    (spokesman)
  • Khazal al-Sarhan[7]
    (until December 2016, NSA)
  • Mozahem al-Saloum[8]
    (spokesperson, former, NSA)
Dates of operationMay 2015 – Dec 2016 (New Syrian Army)
Dec 2016 – Nov 2022 (Revolutionary Commando Army)
Nov 2022 – present (Syrian Free Army)
Group(s)
  • Ghosts of the Desert[9]
  • Allahu Akbar Brigade
HeadquartersAl-Tanf
Active regionsDamascus Governorate
Homs Governorate
Rif Dimashq Governorate
Deir ez-Zor Governorate, Syria
Anbar Governorate, Iraq
IdeologyDemocracy
Secularism
Anti-Assadism
StatusActive
Size
Part ofSyrian opposition Free Syrian Army
Syrian opposition Authenticity and Development Front (until August 2016)[16]
Allies Southern Front[17] Tahrir al-Sham[15]
 United States
United Kingdom United Kingdom[19]
 France[20]
Norway Norway (until 2018)[21]
Jordan Jordan (until 2018)[17]
Suqour al-Sham[15]
Southern Operations Room[15]
Opponents Islamic State[22]
Ba'athist Syria Syrian Arab Armed Forces
Battles and warsSyrian civil war 2023 American–Middle East conflict
Preceded by
Allahu Akbar Brigade (Authenticity and Development Front)

The Syrian Free Army (SFA, Arabic: جيش سوريا الحرة), previously known as the Revolutionary Commando Army (RCA, Arabic: جيش مغاوير الثورة),[23] and the New Syrian Army (NSA, Arabic: جيش سوريا الجديد), is a United States Army-trained Syrian opposition faction which controls around 20% of the country. It has been hosted at the US military base at al-Tanf.[23][22][24]

Founded as an expansion of the Authenticity and Development Front by Syrian Arab Army defectors and other rebels during the Syrian civil war on 20 May 2015, the New Syrian Army sought to expel the Islamic State from southeastern Syria. In December 2016, the New Syrian Army dissolved, and the remnants of the group formed the Revolutionary Commando Army.[25]

The group is known for corruption, which led to the U.S. Central Command dismissing its former top official Mohanad al-Tala in 2022.[26] In the aftermath, following an alleged U.S. Central Command attempt to integrate the group into the Syrian Democratic Forces, it rebranded as the Syrian Free Army.[27]

After the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, the SFA took control of about 20% of Syria, including Palmyra and the north part of Damascus.[15]

  1. ^ al-Yaziji, Saad (29 February 2024). "Syrian Free Army appoints new leader in Syria's al-Tanf base". North Press Agency. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  2. ^ a b Al Nofal, Walid (5 October 2022). "US-backed Maghawir al-Thawra commander replaced, amid internal disagreements and corruption allegations". Syria Direct. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 5 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Ersan, Muhammad (1 June 2017). "Syrian rebel commander: 150 US troops at al-Tanf base". Al-Monitor. Archived from the original on 12 June 2017.
  4. ^ ""The new Syrian Army" new look .. "commando revolution," the formation of US support to fight state regulation in Homs". Shaam Network. 22 December 2016. Archived from the original on 11 October 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  5. ^ Hourani, Muhammad (25 May 2017). ""Commando revolution" is preparing to cover the battle of Abu Kamal coalition". Arabi 21. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference downsize was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ "New Syrian Army will 'liberate eastern Syria' from IS". The New Arab. 12 March 2016. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  8. ^ "What is the truth Revolution Army commando attack on the regime in the Syrian desert?". Qasioun News Agency. 26 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 February 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  9. ^ "THE GHOSTS OF THE DESERT: FIGHTING ISIS FROM WITHIN". Conflict News. 12 August 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016.
  10. ^ Bulos, Nabih (29 June 2016). "U.S.-backed rebels launched their first attack against Islamic State. They lost". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  11. ^ Weiss, Michael (1 July 2016). "They Rescued This Town from ISIS, Then Lost It". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 15 March 2017. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  12. ^ Roche, Cody (13 August 2016). "Syrian Opposition Factions in the Syrian Civil War". Bellingcat. Archived from the original on 9 April 2022.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference Kube was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ "Syrian-Jordanian-Iraqi junction". The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights. 1 June 2023. Archived from the original on 2 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d e Blomfield, Adrian (18 December 2024). "US 'prepared Syrian rebel group to help topple Bashar al-Assad'". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 December 2024. Retrieved 23 December 2024.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference jeopardy was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ a b "The New Syrian Army: America's "Tip of the Spear" Against ISIS in the Syrian Desert". Rao Komar. 31 May 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  18. ^ "Russian air strikes kill Syrian refugees on Jordan border: Rebels". Middle East Eye. 13 July 2016. Archived from the original on 27 December 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
  19. ^ "British special forces 'operating inside Syria alongside rebels'". The Daily Telegraph. 6 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 June 2016.
  20. ^ Atallah, Khaled (26 October 2017). "How the Syrian army is working to gain control of road to Raqqa". Al-Monitor. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Holder tett om støtte". Klassekampen (in Norwegian). 16 June 2018. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Syria's New Army". BBC. 10 November 2015. Archived from the original on 11 March 2016. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  23. ^ a b "New decision – Maghaweer Al-Thawrah to change faction's name to "Free Syria" army". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 23 October 2022. Archived from the original on 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  24. ^ Kelly, Fergus (29 September 2017). "US-led Coalition: MaT still a vetted Syrian force, remains at At Tanf". The Defense Post. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
  25. ^ ""Revolution Commando" New Military Formation to fight IS group of Palmyra". El-Dorar al-Shamia. 27 December 2016. Archived from the original on 3 June 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  26. ^ Hammou, Ammar (5 October 2022). "US-backed Maghawir al-Thawra commander replaced, amid internal disagreements and corruption allegations". Syria Direct. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
  27. ^ "Syria's Maghaweir al-Thowra former leader reveals reasons for his dismissal". North Press Agency. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 8 December 2024.
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