Back الجيش الوطني السوري Arabic Suriya Milli Ordusu Azerbaijani Сірыйская нацыянальная армія Byelorussian سوپای نیشتیمانیی سووریا CKB Syrská národní armáda Czech Syrische Nationale Armee German Ejército Nacional Sirio Spanish ارتش ملی سوریه Persian Armée nationale syrienne French 시리아 국민군 Korean

Syrian National Army

Not to be confused with Syrian Armed Forces or Syrian Army.

Syrian National Army
الجيش الوطني السوري
LeadersHadi al-Bahra
(President of SIG)
Abdurrahman Mustafa
(Prime Minister of SIG)
Brig. Gen. Hasan Hamadah[citation needed]
(Minister of Defense and Chief of Staff)
Brig. Gen. Adnan al-Ahmad
(Deputy Chief of Staff)
Brig. Gen. Fadlallah al-Haji
(Deputy Chief of Staff)
Dates of operation2017[5]–present
AllegianceSyrian opposition Syrian Interim Government[5]
HeadquartersAzaz, Aleppo Governorate
Active regionsNorthern Syria

Western Libya[6]

Karabakh (during the 2020 war)[7]
IdeologySyrian opposition
Anti-Assadism

Factions:

Syrian nationalism
Sunni Islamism
Salafism
Kurdish nationalism
Anti-Kurdish sentiment
Turkish nationalism
Neo-Ottomanism
Turanism
Democracy
Secularism
Size
  • 22,000[8]–35,000[9] (2017–19, prior to merger with NFL)
  • 80,000–100,000 (since October 2019, after merger with NFL, reported)[10][11][12]
Allies Turkey[13]
 Qatar[14]
 Azerbaijan[15]
 Niger[16][17]
Libya Government of National Accord[18]
Opponents Syrian Arab Armed Forces[13]
Armenia Armenia[7]
Republic of Artsakh Artsakh (until 2023)[7]
Syrian Democratic Forces[19][20]
Northern Democratic Brigade[21][better source needed]
Tahrir al-Sham (sometimes)[22][23][24]
 Islamic State[25]
Libya Libyan National Army
 Russia[26]
 Iran[26]
Battles and warsSyrian Civil War

Libyan Civil War (2014–2020)[18]

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict[7]

The Syrian National Army (SNA;[30] Arabic: الجيش الوطني السوري, romanized: al-Jayš al-Waṭanī as-Sūrī), previously the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and also known as the Turkish-backed Free Syrian Army (TFSA),[31][32][33] is a coalition of armed Syrian opposition groups in the Syrian Civil War. Comprising various rebel factions that emerged at the onset of the war in July 2011, it was officially established in 2017 under the auspices of Turkey, which provides funding, training, and military support.[34]

The SNA has its roots in the FSA, a loose collection of armed opposition groups founded on 29 July 2011 by defected Syrian military officers.[35] After Turkey formally condemned the regime of Bashar al-Assad in November 2011,[36] it provided arms, training, and sanctuary to the FSA.[37] Initially the principal opponent of the Syrian government,[38] the FSA was gradually weakened by infighting, lack of funding, and rival Islamist groups.[39] In August 2016, Turkey began assembling a new coalition of Syrian rebel groups, which included many former FSA fighters, in an effort to create a more cohesive and effective opposition force;[34] following Operation Euphrates Shield, the Turkish government coordinated with the Syrian Interim Government to form a "National Army" to secure Turkish territorial gains.[40]

The official aims of the SNA are to create a "safe zone" in northern Syria, consolidate with other rebel factions, and combat both Syrian government forces and Islamists.[41][42] Its presence expanded to the neighboring Idlib Governorate during the Syrian government's 2019 northwestern offensive,[28][29] after which it incorporated the National Front for Liberation on 4 October 2019.[34]

Closely aligned with the Turkish government,[43] the SNA has been described as an auxiliary army of the Turkish Armed Forces[44] and as "mercenaries" by their critics.[45][46] Outside Syria, SNA fighters have been deployed by Turkey as a proxy force[47][48] in conflicts from Libya to the south Caucasus.[49][50] The SNA mostly consists of Arabs and Syrian Turkmen.[51]

  1. ^ "Syrian National Army flag hung in northern Tal Abyad". AA. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  2. ^ "Syria opposition recapture Jabal Al-Zawiya in Idlib". Middle East Monitor. 3 March 2020. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  3. ^ Walid Al Nofal (15 October 2019). "The Syrian National Army: For the Syrian revolution or against the Kurds?". Syria:Direct. Retrieved 11 June 2020.
  4. ^ "SNA troops cross Ceylanpinar from Ras al-Ayn". Anadolu Agency, Getty Images. 23 October 2019. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. ^ a b "30 rebel groups merge under Interim Govt's banner, form 'The National Army'". Zaman al-Wasl. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 31 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference mee was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ a b c d "Turkey deploying Syrian fighters to help ally Azerbaijan, two fighters say". Reuters. 28 September 2020 – via www.reuters.com.
  8. ^ "Syrian opposition forces unite under defense ministry, head of interim gov't says". Daily Sabah. 4 October 2019.
  9. ^ Khalil Ashawi (13 August 2018). "Syrian rebels build an army with Turkish help, face challenges". Reuters. Archived from the original on 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  10. ^ Khaled Khatib (5 October 2019). ""National Army" .. What is the feasibility of integration?". Al-Modon.
  11. ^ الخطيب, حسام (11 September 2018). "المعارضة المعتدلة.. القوة الأساسية في إدلب". هيومن فويس | عين على الحقيقة. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  12. ^ ""National Army" Restructured Having Merged With "National Front for Liberation"". Enab Baladi. 5 October 2019.
  13. ^ a b "Exclusive: Turkey boosts arms to Syrian rebels as Idlib attack looms - rebel sources". Reuters. 12 September 2018.
  14. ^ "Syrian rebels meet in Qatar after declaring unified 'national army'". No. 7 September 2017. Middle East Eye. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  15. ^ "Is Turkey planning to recruit Syrians to fight Armenia?". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 26 September 2020.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference niger2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference niger3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ a b "300 pro-Turkey Syrian rebels sent to Libya to support UN-backed gov't: watchdog - Xinhua | English.news.cn". www.xinhuanet.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2019.
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference rebelgroups was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Cite error: The named reference apnews was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  21. ^ Chris Tomson (23 October 2016). "Kurdish forces capture village in northern Aleppo as the Turkish Army redeploys". al-Masdar News. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  22. ^ "Hundreds of Turkey-backed rebels leave Manbij frontlines to fight Al Qaeda in Aleppo". The National (Abu Dhabi). 2 January 2019.
  23. ^ "Syrian National Army sends reinforcements to confront HTS in Western Aleppo, according to military commander of National Army". SMART News Agency. 2 January 2019. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
  24. ^ "The fight between Tahrir al-Sham and the National Front extends to the northern countryside of Idlib in the 5th day of the bloody clashes that killed about 130 fighters and civilians". SOHR. 5 January 2019.
  25. ^ Kajjo, Sirwan (25 August 2016). "Who are the Turkey backed Syrian Rebels?". Voice of America. Archived from the original on 19 February 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  26. ^ a b "Syrian National Army thwarts infiltration attempt by Assad regime, Russia". Daily Sabah. Anadolu Agency. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 3 May 2023.
  27. ^ "Syrian Opposition Factions in the Syrian Civil War". bellingcat. 13 August 2016.
  28. ^ a b Ömer Özkizilcik (1 July 2019). "A way out for Russia and Turkey from Idlib's spiral of violence". Middle East Institute.
  29. ^ a b Suleiman Al-Khalidi (26 May 2019). "Turkey sends weapons to Syrian rebels facing Russian-backed assault: Syrian sources". Reuters.
  30. ^ "Free Syrian Army transforms into Syrian National Army". AA. 9 October 2019. Retrieved 8 February 2020.
  31. ^ "Syria war: Turkish-led forces oust Kurdish fighters from heart of Afrin". BBC. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  32. ^ "Kurdish politician and 10 others killed by 'Turkish-backed militia' in Syria, SDF claims". CNN. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  33. ^ "Profit, necessity spur trade across conflict lines in north Aleppo". CNN. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  34. ^ a b c "Turkey's Gradual Efforts to Professionalize Syrian Allies". Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  35. ^ "Defecting troops form 'Free Syrian Army', target Assad security forces". Archived from the original on 27 November 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  36. ^ "Turkey tells Syria's Assad: Step down!". Reuters. 22 November 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  37. ^ "Syria's opposition has been led astray by violence | Haytham Manna". the Guardian. 22 June 2012. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  38. ^ Albayrak, Ayla (4 October 2011). "Turkey Plans Military Exercise on Syrian Border". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  39. ^ Banco, Erin (14 March 2015). "Four Years Later, The Free Syrian Army Has Collapsed". International Business Times. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  40. ^ "Turkey-backed opposition to form new army in northern Syria". Turkey-backed opposition to form new army in northern Syria. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  41. ^ "What is the new Syrian National Army?". What is the new Syrian National Army?. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  42. ^ Coskun, Orhan; Sezer, Seda (19 September 2016). "Turkey-backed rebels could push further south in Syria, Erdogan says". Reuters. Archived from the original on 29 July 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
  43. ^ "The Syrian National Army and the Future of Turkey's Frontier Land Force". Jamestown. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  44. ^ z.ujayli (20 April 2021). "The Auxiliary Forces Formed to Boost Turkey's Military Presence in Idlib". Syrians for Truth and Justice. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  45. ^ Sanders IV, Lewis; Salameh, Khaled (30 September 2020). "Syrian mercenaries sustain Turkey's foreign policy". DW. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
  46. ^ "Russia says Turkey helps 'jihadis, mercenaries' to penetrate Syria". 15 February 2016. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020 – via lta.reuters.com.
  47. ^ "Key characteristics of Turkish use of Syrian armed proxies | Strategies of Turkish proxy warfare in northern Syria". www.clingendael.org.
  48. ^ Hughes, Geraint Alun (4 May 2014). "Syria and the perils of proxy warfare". Small Wars & Insurgencies. 25 (3): 522–538. doi:10.1080/09592318.2014.913542. S2CID 144140952 – via Taylor and Francis+NEJM.
  49. ^ "Exclusive: 2,000 Syrian fighters deployed to Libya to support government". the Guardian. 15 January 2020.
  50. ^ "Reports: Turkey sent Syrian fighters to Azerbaijan • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights". 29 September 2020.
  51. ^ "FSA commander says 25,000 Syrian rebels back Turkish force in Syria". Reuters. 21 January 2018.


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