1st Armoured Division (Syria)
| 1st Armoured Division | |
|---|---|
Syrian Armed Forces Flag
|
|
| Active | 1973 - present |
| Country |
 Syria
|
| Allegiance |
 Syrian Government
|
| Branch |
 Syrian Army
|
| Type | Armoured |
| Size | up to 15,000 soldiers |
| Nickname(s) | "Death Brigade" (76th Brigade) |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt. Gen.Ali Aslan Col. Tewfik Juhni |
Yom Kippur War
1982 Lebanon War
Syrian Civil War
The 1st Armoured Division is a division (military) of the Syrian Arab Army. It was established before 1973.
During the Syrian Army's assault on the Israeli held Golan Heights during the Yom Kippur War, the 1st Division was held in reserve until a breakthrough was made on the front line. On the evening of the first day of battle, the 6th of October, the division was sent forward to follow the success of the 5th Division in the southern part of the line. Dunstan writes that on the evening of October 7, Colonel Tewfiq Juhni, the division commander, established a supply and administrative complex in the Hushniyah area. During the next two days, elements of the division fought along the Syrian salient in the southern Golan, taking part in the battles around Nafach, Hushnia and the area around Al-‘Al. On the 10th of October, the last remnants of the Division alongside other elements of the Syrian Army, finally withdrew after hard fighting against the Israeli defenders.
At the outbreak of the Lebanon War, the entire division was stationed in the Bekaa Valley. It was composed at the time of the 91st Armoured Brigade, the 76th Armoured Brigade and the 58th Mechanised Brigade, each armored brigade contained about 160 tanks and mechanized brigades consisted of about 40, adding to a division total of some 360 tanks (usually T-62s). In addition to these units, under the command of the division was the 20th Commando Regiment, which was primarily used as the anti-tank and side units also fought division's chemist the 62nd Independent Infantry Brigade. The first meeting between Syrian forces and Israeli army forces occurred near the town of Jezzine, in the southern part of the Rift Valley in Lebanon. To protect the town against the advancing Israeli forces, infantry units and elements of the 76th Armoured Brigade were dispatched. The Battle of Jezzine developed, and the IDF managed to defeat the Syrian forces and occupy the town.
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Wikipedia