FILE IMAGE: Desert Hawks Brigade members
The Syrian government has reportedly disbanded the Desert Hawks Brigade (Liwa Suqur al-Sahara), a private armed militia founded and led by Colonel Mohammad Jaber.
The decision followed of a series of the questionable events linked to the group. The Desert Hawks Brigade had been temporarily deployed to the eastern Hama countryside for a widely-expected operation to liberate the ISIS-held town of Uqayribat. However, the brigade withdrew from the area after few days of the fighting. According to local sources, tensions with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and other pro-government units were the reason behind the decision.
According to reports, members of the Desert Hawks Brigade will have an opporunity to joint the SAA 5th Assault Corps, the Qalamoun Shield Forces or other pro-government units.
Colonel Mohammad Jaber allegedly left Syria and is now in Russia where he and his brother, Aymen al-Jaber, have some property.
