Evolution of the Syrian Military: Main Trends and Challenges

... adapt quickly to the new reality of the civil war. That contributed greatly to the erosion of the robustness, effectiveness and authority of the army. In addition to that, Damascus also resorted to using foreign Shiite militia sponsored primarily by Iran: Lebanese Hezbollah, Iraqi Liwa al-Zulfikar and Abu Fadl al-Abbas, Iranian IGRC’s al-Quds and later Iranian army forces, Afghani Shiite Liwa Fatimiyoun and Pakistani Liwa Zeinabiyoun. As a result, it also created over-reliance on Iran and allowed ...