\"Russian division\" will be formed in southern Syria

The Syrian command decided to form the 5th ground troops division in southern Syria after a military operation to neutralize international Islamic terrorist and extremist units of the armed opposition in the governorates of Deraa and al-Suwayda in the summer of 2018. It was expected that the division will consist of Shia militia units that took part in combats to liberate these provinces. However, due to the lack of materiel and other factors the command's intentions haven't been realized.

According to the Syrian Armed Forces General Staff's concept, the new formation was to fulfill tasks of ensuring security in southern Syria and protecting the state border with Jordan. The division was to avert the presence of pro-Iranian Shia militia units and Lebanon's Hezbollah organization there.

At the same time the trilateral commission (Russia, the USA, Jordan and Israel as observer) based in Amman suggested forming the 9th infantry division that would tackle the tasks that were supposed to be fulfilled by the yet unformed formation.

The Russian side agreed to take on the functions of logistic support of formations and units. It also agreed to train the private corps and retrain the division's command, as well as to provide military advisors and specialists who will be directly involved in operational coordination and command activities.

 The Jordanian side undertook an obligation to staff the formations and units with several thousand deserters and former militants of "moderate" Syrian opposition who found shelter in refugee camps in Jordan. Noteworthy, a candidate for the position of the division's commander was approved unanimously by both Russian and Jordanian (as well as Israeli) members of the joint commission.

Ahmad al-Awdah, the former commander of the Shabab al-Sunnah Brigade, which was a part of the so-called Southern Front, who signed a ceasefire agreement with Russian representatives and later fought together with the governmental army in northern Syria, was appointed to command the division.

Colonel Abu Zariq, one of the former field commanders of the opposition Army of the Revolution, was tasked to staff the division after the Syrian government gave him solid personal security guarantees following his return from Jordan to Syria. He maintains close and continuous contact with the command of the Russian group of forces in Hmeimim.

The division was called Russian because its headquarters that consists of the former Syrian army officers unanimously asked the Defense Ministry of Russia that Russian officers subordinated directly to the command in Hmeimim be guiding combat actions. They also asked to fulfill their orders and to provide continuous assistance on behalf of Russian specialists. That is why they called themselves "Russians"…