File image.
The Syrian Arab Army (SAA) elite 25th Special Mission Forces Division, known as the “Tiger Forces,” has been spotted with newly-supplied Russian-made armored vehicles.
The vehicles, three BTR-82A 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carriers and three GAZ Tigr 4×4 infantry mobility vehicles, were spotted in a video shared by Syrian activists on November 2. The video shows a parade that was recently held at the division’s main training ground.
Tiger Forces with New equipment pic.twitter.com/aiN1I697wA
— CM (@CaricaMil) November 2, 2021
The BTR-82A is the latest production version of the BTR-82 with an improved armour, spall liners, more modern night vision device TKN-4GA-02, 2A72 30 mm gun, GLONASS navigation system and a more powerful engine of 300 hp.
Click to see full-size image.
The GAZ Tigr is a multipurpose, all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle that can be armed with a 7.62 mm PKP machine gun, a Kord-12.7 mm heavy machine gun or a 30 mm AGS-17 grenade launcher.
Click to see full-size image.
The vehicles were likely supplied directly by the Russian military, the main ally of the SAA. The military cooperation between the two sides grew significantly in the last few years.
The 25th Special Mission Forces Division is deployed on all main frontlines around the northwestern region of Greater Idlib, which is held al-Qaeda-affiliated groups and Turkish-backed factions. Turkish troops are also deployed in the region.
The elite unit led all previous SAA operations in Greater Idlib with much success. The unit’s leader Maj. Gen. Suheil al-Hassan is feared by the region’s militants.
According to several recently reports, the 25th Special Mission Forces Division and several other formations of the SAA are now preparing to launch a new ground operation in Greater Idlib. The army wants to reinforce a ceasefire brokered by Russia and Turkey more than a year ago as well as to reopen the Lattakia-Aleppo highway, known as the M4.
So now we know why the hold-up taking Idlib. Re-equipping the SAA. It seems Idlib will be decided by Russian weapons, against Turkish weapons.
Perfect proxy armies.
God bless Russia and Syria!!!
Amen.