SOHR: Russia Is Preparing The Syrian “Tiger Forces” To Fight In Ukraine

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported yesterday that the forces of the “25th Division” of the Syrian government forces, led by Suhail al-Hassan, known as the “Tiger Forces”, continued, for the third day, their training in central and northwestern Syria “in preparation” to fight alongside the forces Russian in Ukraine.

The Observatory added that the 25th Division is conducting high-level training in the areas of Idlib, the eastern countryside of Homs, and Hama, to prepare its members and leaders to fight in Ukraine alongside the Russians if requested to do so, in an attempt by the Russians to send media messages to the international community that military teams affiliated with The regime’s army is completing its readiness by receiving training to participate in the Russian-Ukrainian war in the event of the escalation of battles and confrontations” in Ukraine.

The exercises included the airdrop of the 25th Division, according to the Observatory, which added that it “also included the launch of training helicopters from the Hmeimim Air Base (Russian) in Latakia Governorate, western Syria. About 700 Syrian personnel and officers of the Russian forces participated in the exercises, pointing out that the exercises came after the return of “representatives of the loyal Syrian military forces, from a reconnaissance tour in Russia.”

On the other hand, Russian bombers resumed bombing ISIS areas in the Badia in central Syria, after a decline in strikes since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24. Yesterday, the “observatory” said that “Russian fighters carried out about 4 air strikes targeting locations where ISIS cells are deployed, in the Palmyra desert, east of Homs.”

Opposition activists said that the Russian bombing “came in light of a significant decrease in the intensity of military attacks, ambushes and sweeps campaigns in the Syrian Badia, despite the announcement by the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them that they repeatedly sent reinforcements to the desert with the intention of starting combing campaigns against ISIS cells.”