Desert Hawks Brigade
| Desert Hawks Brigade (Liwa Suqur al-Sahara) |
|
|---|---|
| Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
Desert Hawks Brigade shoulder sleeve insginia
|
|
| Active | 2013 – August 2017 |
| Leaders | Col. Mohammad Jaber |
| Headquarters | Aleppo |
| Area of operations | Syria |
| Part of |
 Syrian Army
|
| Allies |
 National Defence Force Syrian Resistance LAAG
|
| Opponents |
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
|
| Battles and wars |
|
Free Syrian Army
Al-Nusra Front
The Desert Hawks Brigade (Arabic: لواء صقور الصحراء, liwāʾ suqūr aṣ-ṣaḥrāʾ, Liwa Suqur al-Sahara) was an armed private militia branch affiliated with the Syrian Arab Army which fought on the side of the Syrian government in the Syrian Civil War. 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 ambush tactics, and has been employed in special assignments on several fronts. The group is equipped with light and medium arms, and is given artillery support from the regular Syrian Army when needed.
According to some sources, the group was formed in Homs Governorate and operated in the desert regions bordering Iraq and Jordan 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 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 resorces. 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. As a result, the unit attracted some of the best members of the Syrian Armed forces. 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".
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Wikipedia