02:28Syria: Russia assistance allowed creation of Self-Defense Forces - Syrian General
Head of Operations in the Syrian Civil Army Brigadier-General Hosam Aldeen Naser, said his forces "thank Russia for helping us fight terrorism," during the graduation ceremony of the first group of Syria's Self-Defense Forces in Latakia, Sunday.
Under the jurisdiction of Syria's Civil Army, the self-defense force consists of volunteers who were previously working in the government's public sector. The new force's "mission" according to Naser, will be to "defend the freed territories instead of the normal army and keep terrorism away, as well as helping the refugees that are coming back to their homes."
"The government has decided that these self-defense forces will be handling the checkpoints instead of the Syrian army, thus the Syrian army can focus on fighting in the field," explained the Brigadier-General.
Naser noted that the new force would not have been possible without the intervention of Russia in the Syrian conflict, stating that "when our Russian friends chose to participate in the war, a lot of these operations were achieved and there was an increase in the participation of the armed forces."
02:28Head of Operations in the Syrian Civil Army Brigadier-General Hosam Aldeen Naser, said his forces "thank Russia for helping us fight terrorism," during the graduation ceremony of the first group of Syria's Self-Defense Forces in Latakia, Sunday.
Under the jurisdiction of Syria's Civil Army, the self-defense force consists of volunteers who were previously working in the government's public sector. The new force's "mission" according to Naser, will be to "defend the freed territories instead of the normal army and keep terrorism away, as well as helping the refugees that are coming back to their homes."
"The government has decided that these self-defense forces will be handling the checkpoints instead of the Syrian army, thus the Syrian army can focus on fighting in the field," explained the Brigadier-General.
Naser noted that the new force would not have been possible without the intervention of Russia in the Syrian conflict, stating that "when our Russian friends chose to participate in the war, a lot of these operations were achieved and there was an increase in the participation of the armed forces."