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The 18 March Division (Arabic: فرقة 18 آذار) was a rebel group part of the Free Syrian Army. The 18 March Division named after the 18 March 2011 protests in Daraa and was active during the Syrian Civil War. The group was created on 11 April 2013 by Colonel Mohammed Khaled al-Duhni out of three affiliated groups. On 18 July 2013, the Southern Tawhid Brigade, one of the affiliated groups, left the 18 March Division due to internal disputes.[1] It joined the Southern Front on 14 February 2014, and also joined the Hawks of the South alliance on 27 December 2014.[4][5]
| 18 March Division | |
|---|---|
| Arabic: فرقة 18 آذار | |
| Leaders | Col. Mohammed Khaled al-Duhni[1] Hosam Abazid †[2] |
| Dates of operation | 11 April 2013[1] – 31 July 2018[citation needed] |
| Group(s) | |
| Active regions | Daraa Governorate[1] |
| Part of | Free Syrian Army |
| Opponents | Syrian Armed Forces National Defense Force |
| Battles and wars | Syrian Civil War |
History
editIn April 2015, after five Southern Front groups unilaterally rejected all forms of cooperation with the al-Nusra Front, the 18 March Division clashed with al-Nusra in the Dar'a al-Balad district of Daraa. Conflicting reports stated that the al-Nusra Front captured a member of the Southern Tawhid Brigade and threw a grenade at the latter group's headquarters.[6]
On 28 September 2016, one of the group's field commanders, Hosam Abazid, was assassinated in the eastern Daraa countryside. Hosam Abazid was previously a member of the al-Nusra Front, then defected to the Southern Tawhid Brigade, then to the Islamic Muthanna Movement, and re-defected back to the 18 March Division.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c d e Lucas. "A MODERN HISTORY OF THE FREE SYRIAN ARMY IN DARAA" (PDF). Foreign Military Studies Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-12-22. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ a b "18-March Division's commander killed in Daraa, no group claimed responsibility". Zaman alwsl. 28 September 2016.
- ^ "The Moderate Rebels: A Growing List of Vetted Groups Fielding BGM-71 TOW Anti-Tank Guided Missiles". 8 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Does the "Southern Front" Exist?". Carnegie. Retrieved 8 January 2015.
- ^ Al Wasl, Zaman (27 December 2014). "4 rebel groups form military alliance in Daraa". webcitation.org. Archived from the original on 12 January 2015. Retrieved 2024-01-29.
- ^ "FSA moves against Nusra in south Syria". Now News. 14 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 December 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2017.
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