Last modified: 2020-07-31 by ian macdonald
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image by Zoltan Horvath, 30 November 2014
Syrian Arab Army (SAA) (Arabic: الجيش العربي السوري al-Jaysh al-’Arabī
as-Sūrī), is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It was
established on August 1, 1945. In 1919, the French formed the
Troupes
spéciales du Levant as part of the
Army of the Levant
in the French
Mandate for Syria and the
Greater
Lebanon. The
former with 8,000 men later grew into both the Syrian and
Lebanese armies. This force was
used primarily as auxiliaries in support of French troops, and senior
officer posts were held by Frenchmen, although Syrians were allowed to
hold commissions below the rank of Major.
As Syria gained independence in 1946, its leaders envisioned a
Division-sized Army. The 1st Brigade was ready by the time of the
Syrian war against Israel on May 15, 1948. It consisted of two
infantry battalions and one armored battalion. The 2nd Brigade was
organized during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and also included two
infantry battalions and one armored battalion.
Since 1948 it has played a major role in Syria's governance, mounting
five military coups (two in 1949, including the March 1949 Syrian coup
d'état and the August 1949 coup), 1954, 1963, 1966, and in 1970."
From 1976 to 2005 it was the major pillar of the
Syrian occupation of
Lebanon (1976-2005) after the
2005 mass protests
evolved into the Cedar Revolution
Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrian_Army
Esteban Rivera, 29 November 2014
Flag seen
here.
Esteban Rivera, 29 November 2014
I noticed that Wikipedia images are incomplete. All flags have a motto over
the branches' emblems. The motto is: "Watan, Sharaf, Ikhlas" (Homeland, Honour,
Sincerity) in Kufi script.
Please see:
http://sana.sy/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/729.jpg
Zoltan Horvath, 30 November 2014
