Hamza Division (Aleppo)
| Hamza Division | |
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فرقة الحمزة Participant in the Syrian Civil War | |
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Official logo of the Hamza Division | |
| Active | 23 April 2016–present |
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| Leaders | |
| Headquarters | Mare', Aleppo Governorate |
| Area of operations | Aleppo Governorate |
| Part of | |
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| Battles and wars | |
The Hamza Division is a Syrian rebel group affiliated with the Free Syrian Army trained and equipped by the United States and Turkey as part of the Syrian Train and Equip Program to fight the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in northwestern Syria.
History
On 23 April 2016, 5 FSA groups based in the town of Mare' in the northern Aleppo Governorate countryside, the Hamza Brigade, the Dhi Qar Brigade, the Northern Thunder Brigade, the Mare' Resistance Brigade, and the Special Operations Brigade merged into the Hamza Division due to the "interests of unity" with the intention to fight the "crime and terror" of ISIL and the Syrian government. Under the command of Syrian Army defector Lt. Saif Abu Bakr,[3] the factions receive military support from the international coalition against ISIL.[4] Dhi Qa Brigade were a member of Division 99 along with Liwa Ahfad Saladin.
In June 2016, the Northern Thunder Brigade received BGM-71 TOW missiles from the coalition.[5] Also that month, a Syrian Turkmen group called the "Samarkand Brigade", named after the city in Uzbekistan, joined the Hamza Division.[6]
During the Turkish military intervention in the Syrian Civil War in late August, the Hamza Division is one of the first FSA groups to enter Jarabulus from Karkamış and captured the city. Saif Abu Bakr was among the ones who followed behind Turkish tanks and troops and entered Jarabulus in the morning during the first day of the operation, reaching the city center by afternoon.[7] He later gave a speech to the civilians of Jarabulus.[8]
On 18 October 2016, the Northern Thunder Brigade issued an ultimatum to the YPG and the Army of Revolutionaries, warning them to leave Tell Rifaat within 48 hours after which they will attack the town.[9]
References
- 1 2 "Al-Hamza Division to RFS". Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office. 22 September 2016.
- ↑ "FSA mourns the commander of the Hamza Battalion during the battle of Aleppo". Enab Baladi. 8 April 2016.
- 1 2 "Hamza Division: a new military formation to fight ISIL". El-Dorar. 23 April 2016.
- ↑ "Hamza Division: merger of five FSA factions in northern Aleppo". Enab Baladi. 25 April 2016.
- ↑ "BMG-71 TOW ATGM Syrian Opposition groups in the Syrian Civil War". Badly Xeroxed. 30 June 2016.
- ↑ ""Samarkand," the name of a new species, "Free Army" in Syria". Enab Baladi. 22 June 2016.
- ↑ "Syria à la Carte: Turkish Invasion Highlights Rapidly Shifting Alliances". Spiegel. 26 August 2016.
- ↑ "Hamza Division military commander to the civilians of Jarabulus city". Hamza Division/Youtube. 26 August 2016.
- ↑ "FSA poised for showdown with Kurdish forces in Aleppo". The New Arab. 19 October 2016.
