Hamza Division (Aleppo)

Hamza Division
فرقة الحمزة
Furqat al-Hamza
Leaders
  • Brig. Gen. Sayf Balud ("Sayf Abu Bakr")[1][2]
  • Lt. Abdullah Halawa[3]
  • Abu Jalal[4]
  • Hasan Abdullah Kulli Kurdish Falcons Brigade[5]
  • Yasser Abu al-Sheikh [6]
Dates of operation2013–present
Group(s)
  • Hamza Brigade
  • Northern Thunder Brigade
  • Mare' Resistance Brigade
  • Special Operations Brigade
  • Dhi Qar Brigade
  • Kurdish Falcons Brigade[5]

Former:

HeadquartersMare, Aleppo Governorate
Active regionsAleppo Governorate
Size2,200+ (self-claim, September 2017)[3]
  • 900 (February 2017)[7]
Part ofSyrian opposition Syrian National Army
Allies Turkey
 United States (until 2016)
 Azerbaijan[8]
Al-Mu'tasim Brigade
Liwa Ahfad Saladin
Sultan Murad Division
Levant Front
Opponents Islamic State
Syrian Democratic Forces
Syrian Arab Armed Forces
Libyan National Army
Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement (since 2017)[9]
Ahrar al-Sharqiya
Ahrar al-Sham
 Armenia[8]
 Artsakh[8]
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War

Second Libyan Civil War (since 2020)[10]

(alleged)

2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war[8][11]
Flag
Preceded by
Hamza Battalion

The al-Hamza Division (Arabic: فرقة الحمزة) is a Syrian rebel group in northwestern Syria affiliated with the Syrian National Army, trained and equipped by the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey as part of the Syrian Train and Equip Program. Formed in 2013, it cooperates with the Turkish Armed Forces in the Turkish occupation of northern Syria.

  1. ^ "Hamza Division: a new military formation to fight ISIL". El-Dorar. 23 April 2016.
  2. ^ "Hamza Brigade's Leader: Few Hours Later We Will Raise The Victory Signs In Bab City (Video)". Qasioun News. 14 November 2016. Retrieved 3 October 2020.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ a b Rami Raj (25 September 2017). "Al-Hamzah Group (all partners): The opening of the military college is a step in the formation of the (National Army)". All4Syria.
  4. ^ a b "Al-Hamza Division to RFS". Revolutionary Forces of Syria Media Office. 22 September 2016. Archived from the original on 10 June 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  5. ^ a b Suraj Sharma (16 February 2018). "Turkey sends 'Kurdish Falcon' force to Afrin to counter anti-Kurd image". Middle East Eye.
  6. ^ "FSA mourns the commander of the Hamza Battalion during the battle of Aleppo". Enab Baladi. 8 April 2016.
  7. ^ "470 FSA fighters killed in Euphrates Shield Operation". Kom News. 17 February 2017. Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  8. ^ a b c d "Reports Turkey is transferring Syrian militants to Azerbaijan as hostilities against Armenia increases". Greek City Times. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2020.
  9. ^ Khaled Khatib (26 May 2017). "Aleppo: opposition to end "the Knights of the Revolution"". Al-Modon.
  10. ^ SOHR: 13,000 Pro-Turkey Mercenaries Arrive in Libya See.news, May 19, 2020
  11. ^ Russia says Islamist fighters in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict pose threat to Moscow | Reuters