National Defence Forces

National Defense Forces
National Defense Forces
Quwāt ad-Difāʿ al-Watanī
Dates of operation	1 November 2012 – 8 December 2024
Group(s)	Golan Regiment (disbanded in 2019) Fist Battalion; Second Battalion; Third Battalion; ; Quneitra Hawks Brigade (disbanded in 2018); Al-Shaitat tribe militias;
Headquarters	Damascus
Active regions	Syria
Ideology	Neo-Ba'athism; Assadism
Political position	Far-left
Allies	State allies Iran; Russia; Non-state allies Hezbollah; Kata'ib Hezbollah; Islamic Resistance in Iraq; Kata'ib al-Imam Ali; Syrian Democratic Forces (sometimes);
Opponents	State opponents Turkey; Non-state opponents Free Syrian Army; Jaysh al-Islam; Ahrar al-Sham; Other Rebel Groups; Al-Nusra Front/Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham; Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant; Syrian Democratic Forces (sometimes);
Battles and wars	the Syrian civil war

National Defense Forces
National Defense Forces
قوات الدفاع الوطني‎
	; Symbol of the NDF
Active	1 November 2012 – 8 December 2024
Country	Ba'athist Syria
Type	Paramilitary; Auxiliary force; Militia
Role	Reserve army ; Counter-insurgency; Light infantry
Size	50,000 (2023)
Part of	Syrian Arab Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	3002 Damascus, Syria (main HQ) ; With elements in: ; Aleppo Governorate; Hama Governorate; Latakia Governorate; Tartus Governorate; Homs Governorate; al-Hasakah Governorate; Damascus Governorate; As-Suwayda Governorate; Deir ez-Zor Governorate
Equipment	See List of NDF equipment
Engagements	Iran–Israel proxy conflict; Syrian civil war: Damascus campaign Siege of Darayya and Muadamiyat; Damascus offensive; Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015); Qaboun offensive (2017); 2017 Jobar offensive; Battle of Harasta (2017–2018); Southern Damascus offensive (March 2018); Southern Damascus offensive (April–May 2018); ; Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign 4th Rif Dimashq offensive; 5th Rif Dimashq offensive; 6th Rif Dimashq offensive; Rif Dimashq offensive (September 2015); Al-Dumayr offensive (April 2016); ; Homs campaign Al-Qusayr offensive; Siege of Homs; Battle of al-Qaryatayn (2016); ; Palmyra campaign Palmyra offensive (May 2015); Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015); Palmyra offensive (March 2016); Palmyra offensive (December 2016); Palmyra offensive (2017); ; Aleppo campaign East Aleppo offensive (2015–16); Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016); 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign; Aleppo offensive (June–July 2016); Aleppo offensive (July–August 2016); Aleppo offensive (August–September 2016); Aleppo offensive (September–October 2016); Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016); ; Latakia campaign 2013 Latakia offensive; 2014 Latakia offensive; 2015–16 Latakia offensive; 2016 Latakia offensive; ; Qalamoun campaign 1st Qalamoun offensive; 2nd Qalamoun offensive; ; Daraa campaign Daraa offensive (February–May 2014); Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2015–2016); ; Hama campaign 2013 Hama offensive; 2014 Hama offensive; 2016 Hama offensive; Hama offensive (March–April 2017); ; Quneitra campaign Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–14); Quneitra offensive (June 2015); Quneitra offensive (September 2016); 2014 Quneitra offensive; Quneitra offensive (October 2015); ; Raqqa campaign Raqqa campaign (2012–2013); Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016); Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (June 2016); ; Deir ez-Zor campaign Deir ez-Zor clashes; Deir ez-Zor offensive (January 2016); Deir ez-Zor offensive (January 2017); ; 2014 Eastern Syria offensive; Hasakah campaign Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (2012–2014); Battle of Qamishli (April 2016); Battle of al-Hasakah (2016); ; Northwestern Syria campaign Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017–February 2018); Operation Olive Branch Afrin offensive (January–March 2018); ; Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019); Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020); Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024); 2024 Syrian opposition offensives; Fall of Damascus ; ; ; Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present) Attacks on US bases during the Gaza war; ;
Commanders
President of Syria	Marshal Bashar al-Assad
Minister of Defense	Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas
Chief of the General Staff	Gen. Abdul Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim
Current Commander	Brig. Gen. Hawash Mohammed
Insignia
NDF flag

The National Defense Forces (NDF; Arabic: قوات الدفاع الوطني Quwāt ad-Difāʿ al-Watanī) was a Syrian paramilitary volunteer militia, that was formed on 1 November 2012 and organized by Ba'athist Syria during the Syrian civil war as a part-time volunteer reserve component of the Syrian Arab Armed Forces.

The NDF was made of units across various Syrian provinces, each of them consisting of local volunteers willing to fight against rebels for various reasons.

National Defense Forces
قوات الدفاع الوطني‎
Symbol of the NDF
Active	1 November 2012 – 8 December 2024
Country	Ba'athist Syria
Type	Paramilitary Auxiliary force Militia
Role	Reserve army Counter-insurgency Light infantry
Size	50,000 (2023)
Part of	Syrian Arab Armed Forces
Garrison/HQ	3002 Damascus, Syria (main HQ) With elements in: Aleppo Governorate Hama Governorate Latakia Governorate Tartus Governorate Homs Governorate al-Hasakah Governorate Damascus Governorate As-Suwayda Governorate Deir ez-Zor Governorate
Equipment	See List of NDF equipment
Engagements	Iran–Israel proxy conflict Syrian civil war: Damascus campaign Siege of Darayya and Muadamiyat Damascus offensive Battle of Yarmouk Camp (2015) Qaboun offensive (2017) 2017 Jobar offensive Battle of Harasta (2017–2018) Southern Damascus offensive (March 2018) Southern Damascus offensive (April–May 2018) Rif Dimashq Governorate campaign 4th Rif Dimashq offensive 5th Rif Dimashq offensive 6th Rif Dimashq offensive Rif Dimashq offensive (September 2015) Al-Dumayr offensive (April 2016) Homs campaign Al-Qusayr offensive Siege of Homs Battle of al-Qaryatayn (2016) Palmyra campaign Palmyra offensive (May 2015) Palmyra offensive (July–August 2015) Palmyra offensive (March 2016) Palmyra offensive (December 2016) Palmyra offensive (2017) Aleppo campaign East Aleppo offensive (2015–16) Northern Aleppo offensive (February 2016) 2016 Southern Aleppo campaign Aleppo offensive (June–July 2016) Aleppo offensive (July–August 2016) Aleppo offensive (August–September 2016) Aleppo offensive (September–October 2016) Aleppo offensive (October–November 2016) Latakia campaign 2013 Latakia offensive 2014 Latakia offensive 2015–16 Latakia offensive 2016 Latakia offensive Qalamoun campaign 1st Qalamoun offensive 2nd Qalamoun offensive Daraa campaign Daraa offensive (February–May 2014) Battle of Al-Shaykh Maskin (2015–2016) Hama campaign 2013 Hama offensive 2014 Hama offensive 2016 Hama offensive Hama offensive (March–April 2017) Quneitra campaign Quneitra Governorate clashes (2012–14) Quneitra offensive (June 2015) Quneitra offensive (September 2016) 2014 Quneitra offensive Quneitra offensive (October 2015) Raqqa campaign Raqqa campaign (2012–2013) Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (February–March 2016) Ithriyah-Raqqa offensive (June 2016) Deir ez-Zor campaign Deir ez-Zor clashes Deir ez-Zor offensive (January 2016) Deir ez-Zor offensive (January 2017) 2014 Eastern Syria offensive Hasakah campaign Al-Hasakah Governorate campaign (2012–2014) Battle of Qamishli (April 2016) Battle of al-Hasakah (2016) Northwestern Syria campaign Northwestern Syria campaign (October 2017–February 2018) Operation Olive Branch Afrin offensive (January–March 2018) Northwestern Syria offensive (April–August 2019) Northwestern Syria offensive (December 2019–March 2020) Northwestern Syria clashes (December 2022–November 2024) 2024 Syrian opposition offensives Fall of Damascus Middle Eastern crisis (2023–present) Attacks on US bases during the Gaza war
Commanders
President of Syria	Marshal Bashar al-Assad
Minister of Defense	Gen. Ali Mahmoud Abbas
Chief of the General Staff	Gen. Abdul Karim Mahmoud Ibrahim
Current Commander	Brig. Gen. Hawash Mohammed
Insignia
NDF flag

National Defense Forces
Quwāt ad-Difāʿ al-Watanī
Dates of operation	1 November 2012 – 8 December 2024
Group(s)	Golan Regiment (disbanded in 2019) Fist Battalion Second Battalion Third Battalion Quneitra Hawks Brigade (disbanded in 2018) Al-Shaitat tribe militias
Headquarters	Damascus
Active regions	Syria
Ideology	Neo-Ba'athism Assadism
Political position	Far-left
Allies	State allies Iran Russia Non-state allies Hezbollah Kata'ib Hezbollah Islamic Resistance in Iraq Kata'ib al-Imam Ali Syrian Democratic Forces (sometimes)
Opponents	State opponents Turkey Non-state opponents Free Syrian Army Jaysh al-Islam Ahrar al-Sham Other Rebel Groups Al-Nusra Front/Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Syrian Democratic Forces (sometimes)
Battles and wars	the Syrian civil war