Maher Al-Assad Named Commander of the Syrian Army’s elite 4th Mechanized Division

Bashar al-Assad (C), his younger brother Maher (L) are seen at their father Hafez al-Assad's funeral on June 13, 2000. REUTERS/Stringer
Bashar al-Assad (C), his younger brother Maher (L) are seen at their father Hafez al-Assad's funeral on June 13, 2000. REUTERS/Stringer
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Maher Al-Assad Named Commander of the Syrian Army’s elite 4th Mechanized Division

Bashar al-Assad (C), his younger brother Maher (L) are seen at their father Hafez al-Assad's funeral on June 13, 2000. REUTERS/Stringer
Bashar al-Assad (C), his younger brother Maher (L) are seen at their father Hafez al-Assad's funeral on June 13, 2000. REUTERS/Stringer

Syrians were shocked with the news of appointing Maher Al-Assad, brother of Bashar Al-Assad, commander of the Syrian Army’s elite 4th Mechanized Division, as revealed by Russia Today Website and other pro-regime sites.

What caused the shock is that the name of Maher Al-Assad has been associated with the 4th Mechanized Division as the commander but it turned out that he was the commander of battalion 42 in the 4th Mechanized Division.

This coincided with news that the Tiger Forces, led by Colonel Suheil al-Hassan, moved from Russia towards the south of Damascus to lead military operations launched by the regime forces there. These operations actually failed after one week of bombarding towns in the south of the capital.

Maher Al-Assad, born in 1967, studied mechanical engineering at Damascus University before he enrolled in the military academy then started serving at the 4th division. He was promoted in the summer of the past year.

The 4th Mechanized Division was formed in 1984 from the Defense Companies, established by Rifaat al-Assad, brother of deceased former president Hafez Al-Assad, in 1982. Defense Companies had a key role in Hama incidents, back then.

After the failure of Rifaat al-Assad coup over his brother, the Defense Companies were merged with the regime army and together were called the 4th Mechanized Division. It has now become one of the major divisions with around 15,000 members.

Opposing parties attribute the most bloody raids in Damascus countryside and Daraa in the beguiling of the revolution to the 4th Mechanized Division.



UN Aid Chief Demands Evidence After Israel Accuses Staff of Links to Hamas

 Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher speaks to delegates about the situation in Gaza during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters, in New York City, US, July 16, 2025. (Reuters)
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher speaks to delegates about the situation in Gaza during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters, in New York City, US, July 16, 2025. (Reuters)
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UN Aid Chief Demands Evidence After Israel Accuses Staff of Links to Hamas

 Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher speaks to delegates about the situation in Gaza during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters, in New York City, US, July 16, 2025. (Reuters)
Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher speaks to delegates about the situation in Gaza during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters, in New York City, US, July 16, 2025. (Reuters)

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher has demanded that Israel provide evidence for its accusations that staff with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs were affiliated with Palestinian fighters from Hamas, according to a letter seen by Reuters on Friday.

At a UN Security Council meeting on Wednesday, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon declared that Fletcher and OCHA were no longer neutral and that hundreds of OCHA employees would undergo security vetting. Israel would also restrict OCHA visas to one month, he said.

"Israel has uncovered clear evidence of Hamas affiliation within OCHA’s ranks," Danon told the 15-member council without providing evidence.

In a letter to the Security Council on Thursday, Fletcher said Danon's remarks were the first time any such concern had been raised and that the accusations were "extremely serious and have security implications for our staff."

"I expect the Israeli authorities to immediately share any evidence that led them to make such claims to the council," Fletcher said.

He noted that around the world OCHA engages with all parties to armed conflict to secure humanitarian access, press for the protection of civilians and promote respect for humanitarian principles, adding: "As Israeli authorities know, our contacts with Hamas have also supported hostage releases."

Israel is committed to helping civilians and getting aid to those in need, Danon said, though he warned: "We will not work with organizations that have chosen politics over principles."

The war in Gaza was triggered on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people in southern Israel and took some 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Since then, Israel's military campaign has killed nearly 60,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, and reduced much of the enclave to ruins.

"We must hold all parties to the standards of international law in this conflict," Fletcher wrote in his letter. "We do not choose between demanding the end to the starvation of civilians in Gaza and demanding the unconditional release of all the hostages."

Israel, which controls all supplies entering Gaza, denies it is responsible for shortages of food.