Current Syrian Army Deployments - International Review

Despite the decrease in the operational tempo of the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) since last year, 2019 has seen the widest deployments of SAA units since the first years of the war. With the October 13 deal between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Damascus, the SAA returned to the Raqqa and Hasakah countryside for the first time since 2014. Meanwhile, the army and intelligence services are dealing with a low-scale insurgency in the south of the country, near-daily ISIS raids in central Syria, engaged in small skirmished in Hama and Idlib provinces, and bogged down in a bloody battle throughout the Latakia mountains. All but one province – Tartous – has seen pro-regime combat deaths in 2019.

Understanding which units are deployed where provides insights into the combat capabilities of the SAA, where foreign forces may be present, and the level of resources the SAA high command is dedicating to each front. This article lists all known current deployments of SAA units, organized by corps, and will be updated regularly. The date alongside the area of deployment represents the last known date of the deployment.

Independent Units

Republican Guard

• Unknown unit – Masasna, Hama – 3/3/2019
• Aleppo Special Tasks Battalion – Idlib Province – 3/4/2020
• Aleppo Special Tasks Battalion/Yiman Bilouni Group – Sukhna, Homs – 6/1/2019
• 800th Battalion – Idlib Province – 2/28/2020
• 1419th Battalion – Idlib Province – 5/2/2019
• 1421st Battalion – Hama Province – 8/9/2019
• 10th Division – Kobani, Aleppo – 10/14/2019
• 100th Artillery Regiment – Manbij, Aleppo – 10/22/2019
• 102nd Regiment/419th Battalion – Aleppo – 1/27/2020
• 147th Regiment – West Aleppo – 1/7/2020
• 152nd Regiment – Aleppo – 12/5/2019
• 103rd Brigade – Deir Ez Zor Province – 2/13/2019
• 104th Brigade – Manbij, Aleppo – 10/20/2019
• 104th Brigade/476th Battalion – Ain Issa, Raqqa – 11/20/2019
• 105th Brigade/unknown unit – Kobani, Aleppo – 10/19/2019
• 105th Brigade/358th Battalion – Idlib Province – 3/3/2020
• 105th Brigade/398th Battalion -Idlib Province – 3/1/2020
• 106th Brigade – Manbij, Aleppo – 10/19/2019
• 124th Brigade – Zerbah, Aleppo – 2/28/2020
• 124th Brigade/511th Battalion – Idlib Province- 11/2/2018
• 124th Brigade/847th Battalion – southeast Idlib – 12/2/2019
• 124th Brigade/873rd Battalion – Zerbah, Aleppo – 2/28/2020
• 124th Brigade/1390th Battalion – southeast Idlib – 12/1/2019
• 30th Division/18th Brigade – Idlib Province – 2/24/2020

4th Division

• Unknown Unit – Eastern Deir Ez Zor Province – 9/21/2019
• 977th Battalion – Latakia Province – 5/7/2019
• Kuwasir Group – Kabani, Latakia – 7/30/2019
• Lebanese Baath Forces – West Aleppo – 1/29/2020
• 555th Regiment/Unknown Unit – Idlib Province – 2/28/2020
• 555th Regiment/48th Battalion – Kafr Nabouda, Hama – 5/10/2019
• 555th Regiment/Unknown Battalion – Kernaz, Hama – 1/13/2019
• 666th Regiment – Dara’a Province – 7/17/2019
• 666th Regiment/449th Battalion – Dara’a Province – 7/17/2019
• 40th Brigade – Kabani, Latakia – 10/26/2019
• 41st Brigade – Saraqib, Idlib – 2/29/2020
• 42nd Brigade – Jabal Zawiyah, Idlib – 3/4/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Fortress of Sham Abu Haider Group – Idlib – 3/6/2020
• 42nd Brigade/185th Bat/Hourarya Group – West Aleppo – 1/26/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Zakiyah & Bakara Battalions – West Aleppo – 1/26/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Unknown Rocket Unit – Zahraa, Aleppo – 2/1/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Muhind Jadid Battalion – Aleppo – 1/8/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Muqdad Battalion – West Aleppo – 2/14/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Shams Group – West Aleppo – 2/8/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Raoud Battalion – Aleppo – 1/8/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Marwan Kamal al-Deen Groups – Aleppo – 2/15/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Yalda Group – West Aleppo – 2/8/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Abbas al-Lord Group – Aleppo – 1/15/2020
• 42nd Brigade/al-Haji Group – Aleppo – 1/15/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Abu Yahya Groups – Aleppo – 1/15/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Ighwani Group – Ithriya, Aleppo – 1/24/2020
• 42nd Brigade/Basil Group – Salma, Latakia – 1/13/2019
• 42nd Brigade/Dirgham Group – Kabani, Latakia – 12/3/2019
• 42nd Brigade/Maher Group – Kabani, Latakia – 1/12/2019
• 42nd Brigade/Murajil Group – Kabani, Latakia – 1/20/2019

Engineering Department

166th Regiment – Idlib Province – 2/24/2020

1st Corps

15th Special Forces Division

• 15th Division/Unknown unit – Idlib Province – 2/10/2020
• 15th Division/Unknown unit – Tarba, Suwayda – 7/28/2019
• 15th Division/Unknown unit – Hobait, Hama – 8/14/2019

5th Division

• 175th Artillery Regiment/97th Battalion – Izraa, Dara’a – 4/27/2019
• 12th Brigade – Dara’a Province – 10/14/2018
• 15th Brigade/852nd Battalion – Hama Province – 7/22/2019

7th Division

• 76th Battalion – Qasabiyah, Hama – 6/11/2019
• 79th Battalion – Tel Malah, Hama – 6/24/2019
• 84th Battalion – Hama Province – 6/26/2019
• 78th Brigade/85th Battalion – Hama Province – 6/13/2019
• 90th Brigade/3rd Battalion – Hader, Quneitra – 7/16/2019
• 90th Brigade/3rd Bat/4th Company – Quneitra Province – 12/26/2018
• 90th Brigade/Hassan Battalion – Quneitra Province – 6/7/2018
• 121st Brigade/225th Battalion – Qasabiyah, Hama – 7/21/2019
• 121st Brigade/257th Battalion – Tel Sha’r, Dara’a – 5/27/2019
• 137th Regiment – Harbisha, Deir Ez Zor – 10/23/2019

9th Division

• 33rd Brigade – Tel Malah, Hama – 8/2/2019
• 43rd Brigade – Hama Province – 5/13/2019
• 43rd Brigade/103rd Battalion – Hama Province – 2/4/2019
• 52nd Brigade – Sanamayn, Dara’a – 3/2/2020
• 89th Brigade/109th Artillery Battalion – Hama Province – 5/9/2019

2nd Corps

14th Special Forces Division

• Unknown unit – Idlib Province – 3/3/2020
• 111th Battalion – Zabadani, Damascus – 1/13/2019
• 36th Regiment – Jabal Sheikh, Quneitra – 1/18/2019
• 554th Regiment – southern Raqqa – 2/29/2020
• 554th Regiment/671st Battalion – southern Syria – 8/23/2018

1st Division

• Unknown Unit – Idlib Province – 3/3/2020
• 320th Battalion – Homs Province – 1/24/2019
• 141st Artillery Regiment – Hama Province – 1/26/2019
• 167th Regiment – Hama Province – 11/23/2019
• 57th Brigade/846th Battalion – Manbij, Aleppo – 3/27/2019
• 58th Brigade – Deir Ez Zor Province – 3/25/2019
• 61st Brigade/unknown unit – Khan as-Sabeel – 3/3/2020
• 61st Brigade/326th Artillery Battalion – Hama Province – 3/14/2019
• 68th Brigade/282nd Battalion – Manbij, Aleppo – 1/30/2019
• 91st Brigade – Suwayda Province – 11/21/2018
• 91st Brigade/unknown unit – Deir Ez Zor Province – 4/30/2019
• 171st Brigade- Idlib Province – 2/8/2020

10th Division

• 258th Battalion – Douma, Damascus – 4/15/2018
• 312th Battalion – south Damascus – 5/10/2018
• 51st Brigade – Hajar al-Aswad, Damascus – 5/1/2018
• 62nd Brigade/424th Battalion – Suwayda Province – 9/6/2018
• 62nd Brigade/Unknown Battalion – Tel Tamr, Hasakah, 11/11/2019
• 85th Brigade – Hama Province – 4/25/2019

3rd Corps

• 148th Brigade/Unknown Unit – Saraqib, Idlib – 2/28/2020
• 148th Brigade/2nd Battalion – Ayn Issa – 4/3/2020

3rd Division

• 20th Brigade/38th Battalion – Tel Tamr, Hasakah – 11/7/2019
• 21st Brigade/210th Battalion/Air Defense Unit – Marrat Alia – 2/25/2020
• 65th Brigade – Damascus Province – 1/18/2019

8th Division

• Unknown Unit – Qoqfin, Idlib – 2/29/2020
• 33rd Brigade – Hizareen, Idlib – 3/2/2020
• 45th Regiment – Jurin, Hama – 10/14/2018
• 47th Brigade – Idlib Province – 3/3/2020

11th Division

• Unknown Reserve unit – Homs Province – 6/17/2019
• Unknown unit – Sabikhan, Idlib – 1/6/2020
• Engineering Battalion – Idlib Province – 1/31/2020
• 462nd Battalion – Boukamal, Deir Ez Zor – 7/19/2018
• 60th Brigade/unknown unit – Hama Province – 6/19/2019
• 60th Brigade/unknown unit – Palmyra, Homs – 6/26/2019
• 67th Brigade – Idlib Province – 1/25/2020
• 87th Brigade – Masasna, Hama – 3/3/2019
• 135th Artillery Regiment – Humaymah, Homs – 11/8/2018

17th Division

• 213th Battalion – Deir Ez Zor Province – 1/8/2020
• 484th Battalion – Deir Ez Zor Province – 10/28/2019
• 54th Special Forces Regiment – Tel Tamr, Hasakah – 4/2/2020
• 54th SF Regiment/23rd Battalion – Tel Tamr, Hasakah – 10/26/2019
• 54th SF Regiment/79th Battalion – Malikiya, Hasakah – 10/20/2019
• 10th Reserve Regiment – Deir Ez Zor Province – 10/6/2019
• 121st Artillery Regiment – Um Shafiyah, Hasakah – 11/9/2019
• 123rd Artillery Regiment – Tel Shamran, Hasakah – 10/28/2019
• 137th Regiment – Deir Ez Zor Province – 4/2/2020

18th Division

• Unknown unit – Tamanah, Idlib – 8/29/2019
• Unknown unit – Homs Province – 11/29/2019
• Special Tasks Brigade – Samaka, Idlib – 1/8/2020
• 120th Brigade – Idlib Province – 1/29/2020
• 131st Brigade – Nayrab, Idlib – 2/28/2020
• 167th Brigade – T3, Homs – 6/10/2019

4th Corps

• 145th Brigade – Saraqib, Idlib – 2/26/2020

2nd Division

• 218th Battalion – Kabani, Latakia – 1/26/2020
• 510th Engineering Battalion – Idlib Province – 1/22/2020
• 826th Regiment – Slanfah, Latakia – 12/26/2018
• 144th Brigade – Latakia Province – 10/14/2018

6th Division

• Unknown unit – Latakia Province – 11/24/2018
• 45th Special Forces Regiment – Saraqib – 3/4/2020
• 55th Brigade – Nayrab – 2/21/2020
• 85th Brigade – Tel Sakr, Hama – 5/7/2019
• 88th Brigade – Sahl al-Ghab, Hama – 3/1/2020

5th Corps

• 1st Regiment – Saraqib, Idlib – 3/2/2020
• 103rd Artillery Regiment – Raqqa Province – 11/4/2019
• 147th Regiment/2nd Battalion – Ain Issa, Raqqa – 11/8/2019
• 1st Brigade/unknown unit – Hama Province – 8/13/2019
• 1st Brigade/1st Battalion – Latakia Province – 11/1/2019
• 1st Brigade/13th Battalion – Boukamal, Deir Ez Zor – 2/7/2019
• 2nd Brigade – Zaliqiyat, Hama – 8/1/2019
• 2nd Brigade/Artillery Unit – Idlib Province – 2/11/2020
• 3rd Brigade/unknown unit – Samakah, Idlib – 1/8/2020
• 3rd Brigade – Idlib Province – 1/30/2020
• 3rd Brigade/Tank Battalion – Samakat, Idlib – 1/8/2020
• 3rd Brigade/91st Battalion – Southeast Idlib – 1/30/2020
• 3rd Brigade/1588th Battalion – Saraqib – 2/28/2020
• 3rd Brigade/unknown unit – Shayrat Airbase – 8/3/2019
• 4th Brigade/Fuah & Kafraya Battalions – Aleppo – 2/15/2020
• 5th Brigade/2nd Battalion – Ain Issa, Raqqa – 12/9/2019
• 5th Brigade/Unknown Unit – Tal Abyad – 2/2/2020
• 6th Brigade – Idlib Province – 12/26/2019
• 7th Brigade/unknown unit – Deir Ez Zor Province – 1/10/2020
• 7th Brigade/3rd Battalion – Ain Issa, Raqqa – 10/26/2019

Border Guards

• 5th Regiment – Hasakah Province – 10/27/2019
• 6th Regiment – Tanf, Homs – 1/22/2019
• 8th Regiment/865th Battalion – Dara’a Province – 8/11/2019
• 8th Regiment/866th Battalion – Tanf, Homs – 11/27/2019
• 10th Regiment/55th Battalion – Deir Ez Zor Province – 9/8/2019
• 10th Regiment/74th Battalion – Deir Ez Zor Province – 9/8/2019
• 11th Regiment – Latakia Province – 1/17/2020
• 12th Regiment – Ayn Arab, Aleppo – 2/27/2020

Air Defense

66th Brigade – Idlib Province – 2/29/2020