Pro-Government Militias
Jerusalem Brigade (al-Quds al-Filastini Brigade) (Syria)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 533 |
| Country: | Syria |
| Date formed: | Sept. 1, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | According to one news source, the Jerusalem Brigade was formed by men from the Nayrab Palestinian refugee camp. Another news source alleges that the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, a faction which is strong in the Nayrab refugee camp, organized fighters who joined local NDF militias, which in turn coalesced into the Jerusalem Brigade in September 2013. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | no information |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; religious |
| Primary Membership: | religious |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | ethnic |
| Location: | Aleppo |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; self-defense and security; fight insurgents |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | Sunni Arabs (Syria) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The Jerusalem Brigade is also known as al-Quds al-Filastini Brigade or Liwa al-Quds. Most members of the Jerusalem Brigade are Sunni Palestinians from refugee camps in Syria. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The main purpose of the Jerusalem Brigade is to support the Syrian army in the fight against rebels in the context of the Syrian civil war. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members were motivated by a complex mix of tribal and clan loyalties, adding to a strong sense of nationalism. Additionally, many refugees who joined the Brigade were infuriated by the rebel siege on the Nayrab refugee camp. |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The Jerusalem Brigade fights alongside the Syrian military and other pro-government militias. While the army is fighting, the Jerusalem Brigade is backing them, cleaning up, consolidating gains and protecting their flanks. Its joint operations with the Syrian army are reportedly conducted under supervision of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Brigade is led by Muhammed al-Sa’eed (also known as “The Engineer”) who is a native of the Nayrab refugee camps. Al-Sa’eed is also a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command. The Jersualem Brigade is under Al-Sa’eed’s direct command. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.