| Unit Name: | Struggle Companies/Struggle Brigades سرايا الصراع |
| Dates: | 1973 – Unknown (dissolved) |
| Allegiance: | Syrian Armed Forces |
| Type: | Praetorian Guard Shock Troops Special Forces |
| Specialization: | Airborne forces Close-quarters combat Counter-insurgency Raiding Direct action Special operations Unconventional warfare |
| Size: | 5,000 (peak in 1990) |
| Garrison: | Damascus |
| Ceremonial Chief: | Hafez al-Assad |
| Battles: | |
| Notable Commanders: | Adnan al-Assad Muhammad al-Assa |
The Struggle Companies (Arabic: سرايا الصراع; Saraya al-Sira) was a 5,000-strong commando force deployed around Damascus. Created in 1973 and commanded by Maj. Gen Adnan Assad, a cousin of the late Syrian president, Hafez Assad.[1] [2] The all Alawite Struggle Companies are broadly similar to the Defense Companies and were fanatically loyal to the Syrian government and were heavily used during the 1982 Hama Muslim Brotherhood uprising[3] [2]
The Syrian president exercised direct control over the Saraya al-Sira', Saraya al-Difa', and the Republican Guard all of whom function as a Praetorian Guard.[4] [5] The headquarters of the Saraya al-Sira' was Mezzeh Military Airport.
The Saraya al-Sira' wore combat uniforms quite distinct from the regular Syrian military, their uniform consisted of lizard-patterned camouflage fatigues worn with Soviet combat boots, helmets and bulletproof vests. Headgear consisted of a red or orange beret.[4]