1. History
     Foundation and early operations    Operations since 2015  

2. Politics
     Ideology and Shia proselytization    Involvement in governance and civil affairs  

3. See also

4. Notes

5. References

6. Bibliography

• Battle of Aleppo (2012–2016)
  • Operation Canopus Star {{small|(claimed)}}
  • Aleppo offensive (October–December 2015)
  • Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016)
  • 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign
  • Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016)
  • Aleppo offensive (November–December 2016)
• Siege of Nubl and Al-Zahraa
• Syrian Desert campaign (May–July 2017)^[6][4]
• Central Syria campaign (2017)
• Battle of Deir ez-Zor (September–November 2017)^[7]
• Battle of Khasham^[8][4]
• Turkish military operation in Afrin^[5]

The Baqir Brigade (Liwa al-Baqir, sometimes also Liwa al-Imam al-Baqir or Fawj al-Imam Baqir), named after Shia Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, is a Syrian loyalist militia originating in the Aleppo Governorate that fights in the Syrian Civil War. One of the most prominent and largest pro-government militias from the Aleppo area and part of the "Local Defence Forces" network, the Baqir Brigade mostly consists of tribesmen from the al-Baggara tribe that has traditionally supported the rule of the al-Assad family despite being mostly Sunni Muslim. Though the militia's fighters thus come from a largely Sunni background, many of them appear to have converted to or are at least strongly influenced by Shia Islam. Indeed, the Baqir Brigade has been noted for its strong connections to the Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran, and various Iraqi Shia militias, and is thus generally considered to be a Shia or "Shi'ified" fighting force.^[1][2][9]

History

Foundation and early operations

There exist conflicting accounts on when and how the Baqir Brigade was founded. The unit itself and its supporters claim that it was set up in 2012, just after the start of the Battle of Aleppo. Its founders were the brothers Khalid al-Hassan (nom de guerre: "al-Hajj Khalid" or "al-Hajj Baqir") and Abu al-Abbas (nom de guerre: "al-Hajj Hamza") who had fought as volunteers with Hezbollah during the 2006 Lebanon War and started the Baqir Brigade after their father and older brother had been killed by rebels. Their unit initially had only 13 members, but allegedly soon managed to garner hundreds of recruits due to the charisma and military talents of the two brothers. According to this version, the brothers' militia also helped to break the siege of Aleppo's central prison during Operation Canopus Star in 2013/14.^[1]

On the other side, the pro-opposition site alSouria.net argued that the Baqir Brigade was founded as part of the Local Defence Forces in 2015. With its fighters trained by Iraqi Shia militants and put under the protection of the Berri family (which is well known for its support of the al-Assad family), alSouria.net claimed that the militia was an attempt to create more native Shia pro-government units. Around this time, the Baqir Brigade reportedly operated under the leadership of the Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, which also equipped its members.^[1][10] Regional expert Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi found evidence for the Baqir Brigade's existence as far back as 2014. He argues that some kind of militia led by Khalid and Abu al-Abbas indeed originated in 2012, but that this earlier formation was reorganized or consolidated into the present-day Baqir Brigade only as part of the Local Defence Forces with strong Iranian and Hezbollah support around 2014.^[1]

Operations since 2015

While its foundation and early operations are not well documented, the Baqir Brigade's involvement in the fighting in and around Aleppo since 2015 are better known. The militia reportedly took part in a government offensive south of the city in late 2015, and helped lifting the Siege of Nubl and al-Zahraa during the Northern Aleppo offensive of February 2016. Alongside its Hezbollah and Iraqi allies, the Baqir Brigade also fought at Tel Al-Eis in course of the 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign.^[1] The militia also took part in the final military operations in the city. In course of the important Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016), the Baqir Brigade secured the New Aleppo Neighborhood against heavy attacks by rebels forces, among them troops of the Army of Conquest,^[11] and then fought in the offensive of November and December 2016 that resulted in the complete reconquest of the city by government forces.^[12]

On 6 April 2018, the Baqir Brigade declared jihad on US and Turkish forces in Syria, vowing to "liberate every single inch of the precious homeland" from American and Turkish forces and to "defend the unity of the Syrian Arab Republic and the Islamic nation."^[3] Furthermore, a Twitter account linked to the group posted the photo of a hill near Manbij, where U.S. troops are stationed, along with the threat "You are in our line of fire." In June 2018, the Baqir Brigade and other Syrian militias attended a conference in the eastern Aleppo Governorate, titled "Syrian tribes against foreign intervention and the American presence on Syrian soil".^[4]

Politics

Ideology and Shia proselytization

The Baqir Brigade portrays itself as Syrian nationalist force,^[4] "the first auxiliary [/reserve]" of the Syrian Army,^[1][10] and as part of the wider "Islamic Resistance" against Salafism and Zionism.^[1] It consequently often uses the portraits of the Axis of Resistance's leaders Bashar al-Assad, Hassan Nasrallah, and Ali Khamenei,^[4] as well as imagery and language resembling that of Hezbollah (including its flag). As part of the "Islamic Resistance", the unit also refers to its fighters as mujahideen and prominently propagates those who have been killed in combat as martyrs.^[1]

Strongly connected to Iran, the Baqir Brigade is believed to be part of an Iranian attempt to not just spread its political influence in Syria, but to also spread Shia Islam in the region. In consequence, the militia mostly recruits converts to Shia Islam drawn from Syrian tribes. Most of the group's fighters are tribesmen belonging to the al-Baggara who were the target of successful Iranian-backed proselytization efforts before the civil war,^[1]{{sfnb|AFPC|2017| p = 340}}^[13] with up to 25% of the tribe converting.^[14] One reason for this success is the purported descent of the al-Baggara from Muhammad al-Baqir, the Shia Imam after whom the Baqir Brigade is named. Furthermore, fighters of the group are trained and thus influenced by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah, and Iraqi Shia militants.^[1][13][15]{{sfnb|AFPC|2017| p = 340}} Khalid al-Hassan was also once photographed with Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force. These strong international connections have led some analysts to claim that the Baqir Brigade is controlled by Iran.^[4]

Involvement in governance and civil affairs

The militia also takes part in civil politics. It is connected to Omar Hussein al-Hassan, who has been described as "political leader" of the Baqir Brigade.^[4] The militia consequently supported him as independent candidate during the Syrian parliamentary election of 2016.^[1] The militia also works with the Syrian State Ministry for the Affairs of National Reconciliation, and consequently tried to mediate between rival factions in Aleppo. In one notable case, it helped to conciliate the influential Abu Ra's and Berri clans.^[1] In 2017, the militia also coordinated the reconciliation of Nawaf al-Bashir, a prominent al-Baggara tribal leader and former supporter of the Syrian opposition, with the government.^[15]

The group is known for distributing humanitarian aid in areas where it operates.^[4]

See also

• List of armed groups in the Syrian Civil War
• Shabiha
• Sabireen Movement

Notes

References

Bibliography

• {{cite book

• Cross Lake Dolomite
• Cross Lake Indian Reserve
• Cross Lake Township, Maine
• Cross Lake Twp, Maine
• Crossland Construction Company
• Crossland Construction Company Inc.
• Crossland, Kentucky
• Crossland Moor
• Crosslands
• Cross Lanes, Cornwall
• Cross-language
• Cross Language Evaluation Forum
• Cross-Language Evaluation Forum
• Cross-language interoperability
• Cross language interoperability
• Cross-language interoperatbility
• Cross-language pun
• CrossLaps
• Crossleaf heath
• Crosslevel (rail)
• Crossley Baronets
• Crossley, New Jersey
• Crossley-Premier
• Crossley's Babbler
• Crossley's babbler