Insurgency Overview
Liwa al-Quds (Free Jerusalem) is a Palestinian armed group loyal to the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Fighting on the side of the Damascus based government since its founding in 2013, Liwa al-Quds has fought anti-government rebels in Aleppo and the Islamic State in Deir ez-Zor. It is currently commanded by Colonel Muhammad al-Sa’eed.
History & Foundations
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs found themselves displaced following Israel’s victory in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War in an event known as “the nakba” (the catastrophe). Many settled in Syria, living in the Neirab and Ein al-Tal refugee camps all the way through the start of the 21st century. According to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, around 20,000 Palestinian refugees lived in Neirab prior to the Syrian Civil War’s outbreak.(1) Not even the camps would be spared from the new wave of violence.
Anti-Assad rebels, including members of the then al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra laid siege to both the Neirab and Ein al-Tal camps as part of the wider battle for the city of Aleppo, Syria’s economic epicenter. Muhammad al-Sa’eed, an engineer who lived in Neirab camp and according to some sources a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine - General Command (PFLP - GC, a splinter faction of the larger PFLP loyal to the government in Syria), began organizing Palestinians in the camp, possibly with the help of Syrian intelligence.(2)(3) This led to the group’s establishment in 2013, after which they played a pivotal role in the battle for Aleppo. Currently, they are one of the main forces combing the desert of Deir ez-Zor to dig out the remaining elements of the Islamic State.(4)
Liwa al-Quds, although not existing prior to the conflict, has since emerged as one of the most influential groups in Syria, is a great illustration of how the regime's focus on particular nationalities in particular areas enables it to effectively combat the varying groups in the region.
Objectives & Ideology
Loyalty to the Ba’athist Syrian state is the brigade’s raison d’etat. As one commander of the group put it “we came out to fight for the Syrian Republic because... they took us in as refugees. Now Syria is our Motherland, and we will defend it." Overlapping nationalities seem to play a role in motivating those to join the group. Despite largely practicing Sunni Islam, the members of Liwa al-Quds did not choose a sectarian alignment by siding with Sunni opposition groups and instead remained loyal to the Alawite dominated regime. Tribal loyalties might also play a part, though the anger many felt at rebels laying siege to their homes in 2013 is a main contributor to the group’s existence.(5)
Being a Palestinian militia, the organization would likely take to fighting Israel if a regional war broke out but much would likely depend on the position of the Syrian government, considering it is part of their military structure. The group does not actively antagonize Israel, with the exception of one rocket attack committed in April 2023 - its focus is mostly on Syria and consolidating regime control over the country. But as the largest organized Palestinian group in the country, it would likely see its numbers swell in the event of armed conflict with Israel.(6)
Approach to Resistance
Liwa al-Quds operates as a conventional military force, receiving training and equipment from the Syrian state as well as Russia and Iran. They were frequently used to shore up regime positions and flanks and received logistical support from the Syrian regime, Iran, and Russia.(7) Some of its members have received special forces training from the Russian military and possibly the Wagner unit as seen in a video shared online.
The brigade also cooperates closely with Syrian intelligence agencies and plays a part in suppressing dissent both in the Palestinian camps and elsewhere. One former member of Liwa al-Quds is one of only a few to be put on international trial for crimes against humanity in the conflict, standing accused of having taken part in the detention and torture of a person in 2013.(8) The former Liwa al-Quds fighter was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. This does not appear to be an isolated incident, as many pro-opposition Palestinians and Syrians have reported their homes being seized by the group arbitrarily in the Neirab camp.(9)
Military & Political Abilities
Liwa al-Quds has become one of the largest and most important of the pro-Assad Palestinian groups in Syria. With backing from the government, it has consolidated control over Neirab and Ein al Taf, and played a critical part in organizing the Palestinian community in defense of the regime in Aleppo.(10) It is estimated to have around 5000 members and is heavily supported by Russia. In videos of the group in combat, they can be seen using more rudimentary technicals (trucks fitted with machine guns) and heavier weapons like T-55 tanks provided by the state.
Liwa al-Quds heavily promotes political and cultural activities among Syria’s Palestinian population. The group operates its own Youth and Cultural forums, which it has used to put on events in previous years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Liwa al-Quds emphasized the aid it provided to residents in the Neirab and Ein al-Tal camps. Sa’eed frequently appeared in regime media to discuss health and environmental factors in the camps and Liwa al-Quds role in aiding locals.(11)
International Relations & Potential Alliances
Liwa al-Quds has received support from both Russia and Iran, both in operations against opposition groups and the Islamic State. By some accounts, Liwa’ al-Quds is one of Russia’s closest allies in the country, with Russian commanders having bestowed several medals on the group’s soldiers and providing them with modern weaponry.(12) Russia will also apparently alert Liwa al-Quds when other Iranian-backed groups are launching operations in Deir ez-Zor. At the same time, the group has been deployed to the same areas as the IRGC in Syria, including Homs.(13)
Though it operates independently of other Palestinian factions across the region, it was accused of launching rockets at Israel simultaneously to Hamas in April 2023 due to fighting over Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.(14) If a wider conflict pulled neighboring countries into battle with Israel, it is possible that Liwa al-Quds would be deployed to the fight, particularly because of its connections with Iran. For now, the group continues to operate in the desert of Deir Ez Zor, fighting the Islamic State for the Syrian government while holding on to elements of their Palestinian national identity.
Works Cited (Chicago-style)
(1) - Neirab Camp | unrwa. (n.d.). https://www.unrwa.org/where-we-work/syria/neirab-camp
(2) - Admin. (2021, July 14). Neirab Camp: Liwa al-Quds seizes properties of pro-opposition Palestinians. Syria Report. https://hlp.syria-report.com/hlp/neirab-camp-liwa-al-quds-seizes-properties-of-pro-opposition-palestinians/
(3) - Rebels, regime made prisoner swap in Aleppo: Source | syria news ... (n.d.-b). https://en.zamanalwsl.net/news/article/16534
(4) - al-Ghazi, S. (2023, June 29). Serving power: The role of Loyalist militias in securing the Assad regime. ISPI. https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/serving-power-role-loyalist-militias-securing-assad-regime-36157
(5) - Pro-government militias. Welcome. (n.d.). https://militiasdb.sowi.uni-mannheim.de/militias-public
(6) - IDF: 6 rockets fired from Syria at Golan Heights; military retaliates ... (n.d.-a). https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-3-rockets-launched-from-syria-at-golan-heights-one-lands-in-israeli-territory/
(7) - Russian influence evident in Palestinian militia in Syria. FDD’s Long War Journal. (2016, October 18). https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/10/russian-influence-evident-in-palestinian-militia-in-syria.php
(8) - Enab Baladi. (2024, January 22). Former member of Al-Quds Brigade gets 12-year prison sentence in the Netherlands. https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2024/01/former-member-of-al-quds-brigade-gets-12-year-prison-sentence-in-the-netherlands/
(9) - Admin. (2021, July 14). Neirab Camp: Liwa al-Quds seizes properties of pro-opposition Palestinians. Syria Report. https://hlp.syria-report.com/hlp/neirab-camp-liwa-al-quds-seizes-properties-of-pro-opposition-palestinians/
(10) - al-Ghazi, S. (2023a, June 29). Serving power: The role of Loyalist militias in securing the Assad regime. ISPI. https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/serving-power-role-loyalist-militias-securing-assad-regime-36157
(11) - Ibid
(12) - Russian influence evident in Palestinian militia in Syria. FDD’s Long War Journal. (2016, October 18). https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2016/10/russian-influence-evident-in-palestinian-militia-in-syria.php
(13) - al-Ghazi, S. (2023a, June 29). Serving power: The role of Loyalist militias in securing the Assad regime. ISPI. https://www.ispionline.it/en/publication/serving-power-role-loyalist-militias-securing-assad-regime-36157
(14) - IDF: 6 rockets fired from Syria at Golan Heights; military retaliates ... (n.d.-a). https://www.timesofisrael.com/idf-3-rockets-launched-from-syria-at-golan-heights-one-lands-in-israeli-territory/
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