Qalamoun Shield Forces

Qalamoun Shield Forces
Quwat Dir’ al-Qalamoun Participant in the Syrian Civil War
Logo of the militia since 2016. It includes a Quran quote: "If God supports you, no one can overcome you."
Active	January 2014 – May 2016 (unified) May 2016 – present (after split)
Groups	Qalamoun Shield 215 (al-Hamah contingent) al-Jabba contingent al-Tall contingent
Leaders	Adel Ibrahim Dellah (c. 2015–16) Firas Jaz'ah (2016–present)
Headquarters	Various towns in the Qalamun Mountains
Area of operations	Syria
Size	c. 2,800 (mid-2017)
Part of	Syrian Army's 3rd Armoured Division (as auxiliary force)
Allies	Russia Hezbollah
Opponents	Syrian opposition and allied mujahideen al-Nusra Front / HTS Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Battles and wars	Syrian Civil War Qalamoun offensive (June–August 2014) Qalamoun offensive (May–June 2015) Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign Rif Dimashq offensive (September 2015) Campaigns in the Syrian steppe and Syrian Desert Homs offensive (November–December 2015) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) Battle of al-Qaryatayn (March–April 2016) Al-Dumayr offensive (April 2016) Palmyra offensive (December 2016) Eastern Homs offensive (2017) East Hama offensive (2017) Syrian Desert campaign (May–July 2017) Central Syria campaign (July 2017–present) Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016) Kuweires offensive (September–November 2015) 2016 Hama offensive Wadi Barada offensive (2016–17) 2017 Hama offensive Qalamoun offensive (July–August 2017)

Syrian Civil War

The Qalamoun Shield Forces (Arabic: Quwat Dir’ al-Qalamoun, short: QSF) are a militia formed by natives of the Qalamun Mountains that fight for the Assad government during the Syrian Civil War. Originally a small auxiliary and self-defense group, QSF grew into relatively large and well-equipped paramilitary force that operates nationwide. Currently led by Firas Jaz'ah, the Qalamoun Shield Forces are closely affiliated with the 3rd Armoured Division.

The origins of the Qalamoun Shield Forces lie in a small militia of the same name that was set up in al-Nabek after its capture from rebels during the Battle of Qalamoun (2013). Formed by "notables, retired officers and other locals" on 9 January 2014, this unit was designated as auxiliaries to the Republican Guard and was supposed to secure areas retaken from rebel groups. A Damascus native named Adel Ibrahim Dellah eventually became commander of the group. In course of 2015, the nascent QSF had significantly grown in numbers (claiming hundreds of members) and expanded its operations: Fighting at the side of the Republican Guard, the militia not only took part in further offensive operations in the western Qalamoun mountains, but also fought in the wider Rif Dimashq Governorate such as at Harasta. Later into the year, the Qalamoun Shield Forces even sent fighters to take part in the Battle of Aleppo and the Homs offensive (November–December 2015) against ISIL. During these operations, the group began to closely cooperate with the 3rd Armoured Division, leading to the Qalamoun Shield Forces' loyalties shifting away from the Republican Guard.