Military Security Shield Forces
| Military Security Shield Forces | |
|---|---|
| Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
.svg)
Emblem of the Military Security Shield Forces
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|
| Active | 2016 – present |
| Leaders |
|
| Area of operations | Syria |
| Strength | 400+ |
| Part of | Military Intelligence Directorate |
| Allies |
 Russia Syrian Resistance   Various pro-government militias
|
| Opponents |
 Free Syrian Army Army of Conquest Fatah Halab Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Jund al-Aqsa
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| Battles and wars | |
The Military Security Shield Forces (Arabic: Quwat Dir’ al-Amn al-Askari), also called the Military Intelligence Shield Force or simply Military Shield, is a pro-government militia involved in the Syrian Civil War that is affiliated with the Military Intelligence Directorate.
The Military Security Shield Forces were formed in January 2016 as a distinct paramilitary unit for the Military Intelligence Directorate's branch 223 of Latakia Governorate, probably in an attempt to further the latter's influence and to compensate for the widespread manpower shortages from which the government suffers since the civil war's beginning.
The new unit's first major engagement occurred during the 2015–16 Latakia offensive aiming at driving rebel forces completely from the Syrian Coastal Mountain Range. In March 2016, the militia deployed its forces to eastern Homs Governorate to participate in the government offensive to recapture Palmyra from ISIL. After the city's reconquest, some Military Shield fighters went on to post images of them posing with the severed head of an ISIL fighter. Most of the militia remained in the area around Palmyra for the remaining summer, though some of its fighters joined the Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive in June, which was ultimately a failure.
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