Arab Nationalist Guard
Arab Nationalist Guard الحرس القومي العربي | |
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Arab National Guard emblem and flag | |
Dates of operation | April 2013–present |
Headquarters | Sidon, Lebanon[1] |
Active regions | Western Syria |
Ideology | Pan-Arabism Anti-Zionism Nasserism Anti-imperialism |
Size | 1,000 (May 2014)[2] |
Allies | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Opponents | ![]() ![]() |
Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War
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The Arab Nationalist Guard (Arabic: الحرس القومي العربي) is a secular volunteer militia force operating in Syria. The group espouses an Arab nationalist ideology, gathering away from any sectarian, ethnic, or religious extremism. The Arab Nationalist Guard's membership includes nationalists from a variety of Arab countries.
History[]
Formed in April 2013 by pan-Arab volunteers to fight against "all Takfiri movements that aim to strike our unity and sow divisions between Arabs",[1] the Arab Nationalist Guard bolstered the ranks of Bashar al-Assad's government amid the 2012–13 escalation of the Syrian Civil War. The group quickly started to closely cooperate with the Syrian National Defence Forces militia network. From late 2013 to early 2014, the Arab Nationalist Guard primarily fought in the Rif Dimashq Governorate, though was also present at other conflict zones in Aleppo Governorate, Deraa Governorate, and Homs Governorate. It was prominently involved in government offensives in Qalamoun at the time.[1][5]
By 2017, the unit had taken up positions in Deraa city.[6] It later fought in the Siege of Eastern Ghouta.[7][8] In 2020, the Israeli Shin Bet security service arrested members of a purported Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine cell which had planned terrorist attacks against Israeli targets and reportedly cooperated with the Arab Nationalist Guard and its civilian wing, the Arab Nationalist Youth.[9] It was still operating in Damascus by early 2021.[10]
Ideology[]
The group's ideology falls in line with Gamal Abdel Nasser's pan-Arab ideals (Nasserism),[1] as well as with anti-Zionism and anti-imperialism. It claims to oppose "sectarian, ethnic, or religious extremism", and also supports an independent State of Palestine.[5] In its imagery and textual output, the militia has emphasized Nasser, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, Hezbollah, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Bashar al-Assad as praiseworthy examples.[5]
Organization[]
In its manifesto, the Arab Nationalist Guard stated that it included at least four units, namely the Wadie Haddad battalion, battalion, Mohamed Brahmi battalion, and Jules Jammal battalion.[1][5] The units' names are inspired by Arab politicians and martyrs who have led secularist and Arab national movements in the Middle East and North Africa region or were killed by Islamists.[5][2] It has set up a camp in al-Malihah.[10]
The militia is linked to the "Arab Nationalist Youth".[5][9] The latter is active in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, as well as Egypt, and has provided recruits from the Arab Nationalist Guard.[5] The militia has recruited fighters from Syria, Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, Tunisia, and Yemen.[2][5] It has also recruited Syrian Palestinians.[11] Some of their militiamen had fought previously in the Libyan Civil War and the Iraq War.[2] Despite the militia's Arab nationalist ideology, one member stated that it also includes non-Arab fighters such as Kurds and Berbers, regarding all of them as part of the Ummah.[5]
The Arab Nationalist Guard is supported by Hezbollah trainers, and has good connections with the wing of Hamas that does not support the Muslim Brotherhood.[10]
See also[]
- List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Cooper (2015), p. 59.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Rana Harbi (5 May 2014). "Arab nationalists take up arms in the battle for Syria". Al-Akhbar. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
- ^ "Daryya Rebels Thwarted another Attempt to Storm the City". El-Dorar Al-Shamia. 26 July 2016. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016.
- ^ Andrew Illingworth (8 January 2018). "Syrian Army's order of battle for Harasta operation in east Damascus revealed". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Jawad Al-Tamimi (1 January 2014). "The Arab National Guard: A Pro-Assad Militia". Aymennjawad.org. Retrieved 24 February 2014.
- ^ "Weekly Conflict Summary. July 13-19, 2017" (PDF). Carter Center. July 2017. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ "Two Palestinian refugee die in the ongoing war in Syria". Action Group for Palestinians of Syria. 20 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Leith Aboufadel (9 March 2018). "Virtual map of East Ghouta battle: September 2015–Present". al-Masdar News. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Anna Ahronheim (21 July 2020). "Shin Bet thwarts attacks by Iranian-backed PFLP cell in the West Bank". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Anton Mardasov (15 January 2021). "Moscow stands to gain from Hamas-Damascus reconciliation". al-Monitor. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
- ^ "Palestinian man dies while fighting in the suburbs of Damascus". Action Group for Palestinians of Syria. 14 January 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
Works cited[]
- Cooper, Tom (2015). Syrian Conflagration. The Civil War 2011–2013. Solihull: Helion & Company Limited. ISBN 978-1-910294-10-9.
- Anti-Zionism in the Arab world
- Anti-Zionism in the Middle East
- Anti-Zionist organizations
- Arab nationalism in Syria
- Arab nationalist militant groups
- Expatriate units and formations
- Left-wing militant groups
- Military units and formations established in 2013
- Pan-Arabist organizations
- Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war
- Secularism in Syria
- Paramilitary organization stubs