Suhayl al-Hasan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Suhayl al-Hasan
سُهَيْلُ الْحَسَنِ |
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|---|---|
| Other name(s) | النمر Al-Nimr ('the Tiger') |
| Born | 10 June 1970 Beit Ana, Jableh, Latakia, Syria |
| Allegiance |  Ba'athist Syria |
| Service/ |
 Syrian Arab Army |
| Years of service | 1991–2024 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Commands held | Special Forces Command 25th Special Mission Forces Division |
| Battles/wars |
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| Awards | Order of Civil Merit Order of Bravery Order of Friendship (Russia) |
Major General Suhayl al-Hasan (born 10 June 1970) is a Syrian military officer. He was once the commander of the Syrian Army's Special Forces. He is also known by his nickname, Al-Nimr, which means 'the Tiger'.
Al-Hasan graduated from the Syrian Air Force academy in 1991. He served in many units and completed several training courses. Later, he joined the Air Force Intelligence service. There, he was in charge of training soldiers for special operations. During the Syrian Civil War, al-Hasan led his troops in many important battles. He is considered one of the new generation of Syrian army commanders who became well-known during the war.
Some experts believe al-Hasan preferred Russia to be Syria's main ally. This was different from Maher al-Assad, the brother of former Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, who reportedly favored Iran. After the fall of the Assad regime in 2024, Al-Hasan went into hiding. He is now leading a group of fighters in western Syria.
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Who is Suhayl al-Hasan?
Al-Hasan is from the Alawite religious group in Syria. In 2014, he had not seen his son for four years because of the civil war. He is known for liking poetry and sometimes broadcast his own poems to his enemies. He would warn them to surrender, saying he had no pity if they refused.
Al-Hasan once turned down a promotion to brigadier general. He wanted to keep leading his troops directly in battles. His fighting style has been described as using a "scorched earth" approach. This means destroying everything in an area before attacking enemy positions with house-to-house raids.
A Syrian military source once said that al-Hasan had "never lost any battles." However, the second siege of Wadi Deif was seen as a defeat for him. Also, his forces failed to break enemy lines in Idlib in 2015.
On 25 December 2015, al-Hasan was reportedly promoted from colonel to brigadier general. His rank was later confirmed. On 31 December 2022, he was promoted to major general. On 9 April 2024, he became the Commander of the Special Forces of the Syrian Arab Army.
Suhayl al-Hasan's Military Career
In 1991, al-Hasan graduated as a Lieutenant from the Homs Military College. He quickly joined the Air Force Intelligence Directorate’s Special Operations Unit. There, he helped train Syria's paratrooper groups. Because of his hard work, he was moved to the Air Force Intelligence headquarters. This happened around the time al-Qaeda activity increased in 2005-2006. Al-Hasan was known for being tough and careful. He managed to find and arrest many al-Qaeda members operating in Syria.
During the Syrian Civil War
In 2011, Colonel al-Hasan was moved to the Syrian Army's Special Forces. He led the fight against al-Qaeda's branch in Syria, the Al-Nusra Front, near Latakia in 2013. His success led to him being sent to other battlefronts. He later spent time in Hama.
In late 2013, he was given a special task: to train and lead a new Special Forces unit. This unit would mainly be used for attacks. Colonel Hassan carefully chose many of the soldiers who would later form the famous "Tiger Forces."
Battles in Ariha and Aleppo
In August 2013, the important city of Ariha in Idlib fell to rebel forces. Al-Hasan led the counterattack. The battle lasted 10 days. The Syrian army, with strong air support, managed to take back the city.
On 26 August 2013, rebels captured the town of Khanasir. This cut off the main supply route to the city of Aleppo. Al-Hasan was given the job of reopening this road. He left Hama with a large military group. On 3 October, after a week of fighting, the Syrian army took back Khanasir. A week later, after capturing over 40 villages, the rebels' siege of Aleppo was broken. By this point, al-Hasan's forces had moved 250 kilometers into rebel areas to help Aleppo.
After securing the area around Aleppo airport, al-Hasan's troops moved north towards the industrial city. The Aleppo industrial city, called Sheikh Najjar, was a huge industrial area north of Aleppo. It was a very strong rebel position with many tunnels and weapon factories. The battle for this area lasted from January to July 2014, ending with the Syrian Army taking full control.
On 22 May 2014, al-Hasan's troops also managed to free the Aleppo central prison. This prison had been under attack by rebels and jihadists for over a year. This was an important victory for the Syrian army. It also helped them cut off another supply road used by rebels in Aleppo.
Hama Campaign
In July 2014, the Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, launched a big attack in northern Hama Governorate. This attack threatened Hama city, the Hama Military Airport, and the Christian city of Mhardeh. The situation was difficult for the Syrian army. Colonel al-Hasan was put in charge of all military operations in the area to stop the al-Nusra threat.
Al-Hasan arrived in Hama at the end of August with some of his best troops. They quickly made a difference. The Syrian troops took control of Arzah, Khittab and its base. They also ended the attack on Mhardeh. The counterattack gained strength and soon reversed all rebel gains, including Helfaya, in less than a month. The army continued its attack, pushing into areas previously held by rebels. They put pressure on rebel strongholds like Lataminah and Kafr Zita. They also retook the important town of Morek, which the Syrian army had failed to capture for 10 months.
Shaer Gas Field and Kuweires Airport
In November 2014, al-Hasan helped retake a gas field that had been seized by Islamic State fighters.
In late 2015, al-Hasan and his Tiger forces began to advance on the Kuweires military airport in eastern Aleppo. This airport had been under siege by rebel groups since 2013, and then by the Islamic State. The Syrian soldiers inside the airport had fought off many attacks. Al-Hasan's forces moved forward, taking village after village. The Islamic State tried to stop them by attacking the main road between Aleppo and Hama, but they were pushed back. The siege of the airport was finally broken on 11 November 2015, after almost a month of fighting. President Bashar Al-Assad personally congratulated al-Hasan for his role in this victory.
Later Events
On 4 March 2020, during a Turkish military operation, Turkish sources claimed that al-Hasan was targeted and wounded by Turkish drone strikes near Saraqib.
Current Status
Suhayl al-Hasan is currently on the run. He was last seen in the village of Khirbet al-Ma'zah in Tartus Governorate. He was reportedly involved in an attack on the new Syrian government forces.
See also
In Spanish: Suhail Hassan para niños
