The Syrian Army is being rebuilt | Tens of Thousands Recruited – Significant aid by Russia and Iran

Defence Redefined

Published on 19/10/2020 at 14:38

For the past three months, the Syrian Arab Army has focused on strengthening its troops through various recruitment efforts across the country and on modernizing its weapon systems.

According to AMN, citing sources from Damascus, the Syrian Arab Army managed to recruit tens of thousands of soldiers in its ranks in 2020, while strengthening the armaments program, after the country received new military equipment from Russia.

Also read: Syria-Assad | Russian bases in the country help maintain balance in the region

The rapid recruitment of troops in the ranks of the Syrian Armed forces is due in part to the ceasefire agreement signed on March 5, 2020, between Russia and Turkey. This paved the way for the Syrian Army to focus on recruiting and deploying its forces.

In addition, with the support of Iran and Russia, the Syrian Army has been able to modernize and acquire weapon systems that it did not possess prior to the 2011 civil war.

As of October 10, the Russian Army has deployed at least one Tor-M2 air defence system on Syrian soil. New satellite images reveal that a large air defence base in western Hama has been reinforced with Pantsir-S1 systems.

Russia has placed now a total of three Pantsir-S to protect its S-400 mountain site in Syria.
In the same compound the Syrian S-300PM2 with another Pantsir-S pic.twitter.com/mROo27EbLG

— Tajo Takoya (@TajoTakoya) October 9, 2020

Also read: TOR M1 | The reliable SHORAD of the National Guard

It is also added that since the beginning of June, Syria has received a number of MiG-29 fighter jets, an upgraded version similar to the SM version of the Russian Air Force.

Russia is currently working to expand its military presence in Syria, especially in the western part of the country. Earlier this year, an agreement was reached on the deployment of Hmeimim Air Base.

Also read: Delivery of upgraded MiG-29s to Syria

The fortification of the Syrian Army will be positively affected by the lifting of the arms embargo on Iran that has been in force for 13 years, which means that Iran will be able to legally buy and sell conventional weapons, including missiles, helicopters and tanks.

Iran’s defence equipment industry has paved the way for the Syrian Armed Forces to use new technologies, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

In late September, Iran handed over to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy dozens of new Iranian-made drones and helicopters and three newly developed VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft.

In addition, Iran and Syria agreed to establish an Iranian trade centre in the capital Damascus next January so as to further develop the trade relations of the public and private sectors.

In addition, a senior official of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces revealed on September 23 that Iran plans to strengthen Syria’s air forces amid escalating Israeli attacks in Syria against Iranian targets.

Syria and Iran are likely to conclude armaments agreements, given Russia’s predisposition to sell S-400 air defence systems to Iran.

The Syrian Army has suffered heavy losses in manpower and military equipment following the operation to retake territory from paramilitary organizations based in Idlib Province.

Despite the successes and the liberation of western Aleppo, the forces of Bashar al-Assad were hit when the Turkish army became involved in hostilities.

Also read: Russian revenge | Su-34s destroy terrorist base in US-controlled territory – Photos

With information from: Southfront / TehranTimes / AMN