Border Guard Forces (Syria)
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name = Border Guard Forces
| native_name = قوات حرس الحدود
| image = File:Syrian-border-guards-patch.svg
File:Syr-tag-border-Guards.svg
| image_size =
| caption =
| dates = 1946 – 2024
| country = {{flagicon image|Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg}} First Syrian Republic (1946–1950)
{{flagicon image|Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg}} Second Syrian Republic (1950–1958)
{{flag|United Arab Republic}}
(1958–1961)
{{flagicon image|Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg}} Second Syrian Republic (1961–1963)
{{flag|Ba'athist Syria}}
(1963–2024)
| command_structure = 3rd Corps
| allegiance = {{flagicon image|Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg}} Syrian Armed Forces (1946–1958)
{{flagicon image|Army flag of the United Arab Republic.svg}} Armed Forces of the United Arab Republic (1958–1961)
{{flagicon image|Flag of Syria (1930–1958, 1961–1963).svg}} Syrian Armed Forces (1961–1963)
{{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.svg|size=23px}} Syrian Arab Armed Forces (1963–2024)
| branch = {{flagicon image|Flag of the Syrian Arab Army.svg}} Syrian Army
| type = Brigade
| specialization = Border Guard
| garrison = Homs
| commander1_label = Current Commander
| commander1 = Maj. Gen. Ghassan Mahmoud Nasour{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GregoryPWaters/status/1438066684728942595?t=Y5j98e_osps0w5u0jxzk_g&s=19|title=Maj Gen Ghassan Mahmoud Nasour now the commander of the Syrian Border Guards.|author=Gregory Waters|website=Twitter|date=15 September 2021|access-date=9 March 2024}}
| commander2 = Maj. Gen. Muhammad Issa[https://twitter.com/AymanDas1/status/1254198263743483904?t=QBcMFor8_GtKvMt3F-eLxg&s=19 Brig.-Gen Mohammed Issa as chief of staff of the Border Guard.]
| commander2_label = Chief of Staff
| nickname = "Syrian Haganah"
| motto = Martyrdom is the way to victory ({{langx|ar|الاستشهاد هو الطريق إلى النصر}})
| colors =
| march =
| mascot =
| equipment =
| equipment_label =
| battles = {{tree list}}
- Syrian Civil War{{cite web|url=http://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-launches-an-offensive-at-the-ancient-city-of-palmyra-in-east-homs|title=ISIS Launches an Offensive at the Ancient City of Palmyra in East Homs|author=Leith Fadel|work=Al-Masdar News|date=14 May 2015|access-date=14 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011080715/https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/isis-launches-an-offensive-at-the-ancient-city-of-palmyra-in-east-homs/|archive-date=11 October 2017|url-status=dead}}
{{tree list/end}}
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}}
The Border Guard Forces ({{langx|ar|قوات حرس الحدود}}) was a gendarmerie force of the Syrian Army responsible for guarding the borders of Syria (mainly in the east of the country) and important strategic facilities. The Syrian Border Guard was in the size of an enlarged unit containing seven regiments which were deployed in different centers in Syria, the brigade was under the command of the 3rd Corps.{{Cite web|url=https://international-review.org/syrias-border-guards-from-auxiliary-to-frontlines/|title=Syria's Border Guards: From Auxiliary to Frontlines|author=Gregory Waters|access-date=14 October 2023|date=25 September 2019}}
Command structure
- 5th Regiment (Hasakah pocket){{Cite web|url=https://www.mei.edu/publications/return-northeast-syrian-army-deployments-against-turkish-forces|title=Return to the northeast: Syrian Army deployments against Turkish forces|author=Gregory Waters|access-date=18 October 2023|date=20 November 2019|publisher=Middle East Institute}}
- 6th Regiment (Southern Homs)
- 8th Regiment (Jordan-Syria border)
- 10th Regiment (Iraq-Syria border){{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GregoryPWaters/status/1281601132188639233?t=UPIT5K-Yc_0HMU5d--eQpg&s=19|title=Jul 9 - 3 members of the 75th Battalion/10th Border Guard Regiment are killed near Maizilah NW of Boukamal Deir EzZor. The unit had arrived there on May 12.|date=10 July 2020|access-date=9 March 2024|website=Twitter|author=Gregory Waters}}
- 11th Regiment (Latakia)
- 12th Regiment (Manbij and Ayn al-Arab)
- Unknown Regiment (likely Lebanon-Syria border)
- 87th Battalion (Talkalakh)
Combat history
The Border Guard Forces began its existence during the French Mandate in Syria under the name "Desert Guard", before 1946.[https://syrmh.com/2021/01/08/%d9%82%d9%88%d8%a7%d8%aa-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a8%d8%ba%d9%91%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%a9-%d9%81%d9%8a-%d8%a7%d9%84%d8%ac%d8%b2%d9%8a%d8%b1%d8%a9-1911-1913/ Syrian Modern History] After the independence, its main work was preventing smuggling along the borders, preventing the infiltration of hostile forces, maintaining order in areas far from the centers of government and maintaining important strategic objectives such as Euphrates Dam, oil wells and power plants.
=Role in the Civil war=
Over the years, the Syrian Border Guard did not engage in combat as a regular fighting force, but maintained its status as a regional police force. Even during the Civil War in Syria, the Border Guard functioned as a police force mainly in the east of the country.
As of 2019, the Border Guard Force includes seven regiments deployed along the borders of Syria, each regiment is responsible for a sector and its units are stationed throughout the positions and facilities. In their work, border guards use light and medium weapons in addition to armored vehicles to monitor and protect land borders.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GregoryPWaters/status/1182444873112121345?t=7fLh_NPAhQbUgU3u4iDdOw&s=19|title=This is an interesting point, as I've almost never seen Border Guards equipped with anything other than technicals|author=Gregory Waters|date=11 October 2019|access-date=9 March 2024}} Since 2019, the Border Guard also incorporated many reconciled civilians or ex-rebels.{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GregoryPWaters/status/1622260923942445058?t=UzoazfVQKDKp23HUPO_GEQ&s=19|title=Core forces in Latakia frontline are Border Guards 11th Regiment, 2nd Division & 6th Division (though 6th is more centered around al-Ghab).|author=Gregory Waters|access-date=8 March 2024|date=5 February 2023|website=Twitter}}{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/GregoryPWaters/status/1207083108002074627?t=ABMQMlXReHE2DOEcU8BV-w&s=19|title=Other ex-rebels from East Ghouta have joined the Border Guards, 8th, 10th & 11th Divs|author=Gregory Waters|access-date=8 March 2024|date=18 December 2019|website=Twitter}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Border guards}}
{{Coast guards}}
Category:1946 establishments in Syria
Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 2024