(Telegraph-UK) Liz Cookman - Syrian army units abandoned their positions on the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday night, fleeing the advance of rebel forces. Analysts said that low pay and morale as well as little experience were hampering the effectiveness of the army. "The Syrian army has never been very good - it ruled by fear and terror, bolstered and backed up by Russians since 2015 who provided firepower and direction. Most of the officers were selected because they were close to Assad," said Hamish de Bretton Gordon, a retired British army colonel. "The commanders...are more focused on smuggling and extortion than on actually creating defensive positions and leading their troops," said Greg Waters, of the Middle East Institute. Stephen Cook, a Middle East expert at the Council on Foreign Relations, said that the bulk of the Syrian army was made up of conscripts who "did not want to be there." He described Assad's army as a "Soviet-style" military that has huge problems with supply and logistics. Large numbers of army deserters have laid down their arms and surrendered to the rebels, with a long queue forming in Idlib after they were offered amnesty.
2024-12-08 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive