Malhama and Albanian Tactical Groups Train New Syrian Army and Special Forces

Executive Summary:

• Foreign-led jihadist groups Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical are now training Syria’s newly formed army and special forces under the post-Assad government. These groups, once aligned with Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām (HTS) and steeped in jihadist ideology, have retained autonomy and influence through their continued training, recruitment, and propaganda efforts.
• Their survival and integration into Syria’s new military apparatus raises concerns about the long-term entrenchment of foreign fighters. While currently focused on rebuilding Syria’s security forces, these groups may redirect their skills and capabilities toward other conflict zones or future jihadist insurgencies around the globe.

Since 2016, several jihadists groups have formed their own unique form of private military company (PMC), referred to as “tactical groups.” Their stated objective is to provide advice and training to other insurgents while also participating in military operations (Al Aan TV, March 6, 2023). Since 2021, these tactical groups have greatly expanded in Syria and now run numerous training programs for the new Syrian government. Several of these tactical groups are allied with other jihadist networks composed of foreign militants and are themselves aligned with the new regime led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, the former leader of Hay’at Taḥrīr al-Shām (HTS). In the new Syria, these groups employ their jihadist experience in service of the civil regime (Al Aan TV, March 6, 2023; see Terrorism Monitor, March 25, January 20, 2023; December 2, 2022). Numerous videos and photos have been published of Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical recruiting and training soldiers of the new Syrian Army.

Tactical groups played a major role in Operation “Deterrence of Aggression” (Rad’ al-‘Udwān), which launched on November 27, 2024 by the HTS-led coalition that led to the fall of the Bashar al-Assad’s regime (Al Aan TV, December 12, 2024). After the military and political restructuring of the new Syrian government, the tactical groups have not only maintained their roles as key sources of military training, but have also been involved with special actions to eliminate remnants of pro-Assad forces. [1]

Malhama Tactical’s Revival

Malhama Tactical was founded by immigrants from the Russian Caucasus and Central Asia, including Chechens, Dagestanis, Uzbeks, and Kyrgyz. Their influence grew due to their widespread propaganda images and videos, which featured the production and sale of weapons, conduction of special operations, and larger military engagements with other jihadist groups alongside tactical training videos. [2] In December 2021, Malhama Tactical’s leader, Ali al-Shishani, formally integrated the tactical group into HTS’s special forces, specifically HTS’s Red Berets (Liwā al-’Aṣāib’ al-Ḥamrā), thereby discontinuing all further activities (Al Aan TV, March 6, 2023).

At the beginning of January 2025, Malhama Tactical announced it was once again an independent organization with a renewed focus on training activities (X/@G88Daniele, January 28). The tactical group also announced that the former commander, Ali al-Shishani, was no longer a member, declaring Abdullah Tac, a Chechen, the new commander (X/@G88Daniele, January 29). Tac has reorganized the tactical group by combining the use of old logos and style of operations with new propaganda channels. [3] Malhama Tactical currently numbers between 50 and 70 members. Given its notoriety and importance—as well as its fundamental role within the former HTS special forces—may grow rapidly. [4] The group’s position within HTS diminished with the fall of the al-Assad regime. Despite the fact that Malhama Tactical is training the new Syrian Army’s units and soldiers, the group aims to reach a new contingent of fighters, perhaps in part by a return to using the Russian language in its messaging (for former materials, see Media portal MUHAJEER, May 5, 2020). While Malhama Tactical is unlikely to formally join the ranks of the new Syrian Army, it could be using this period to wait and see what happens to the new regime while exploiting deficiencies to create new logistics and support networks.

Albanian Tactical

In 2012, a jihadist group called Xhemati Alban (the “Albanian Congregation”) arrived in Syria and started fighting against al-Assad’s regime. The tactical group is comprised of Albanians, Kosovars, and Macedonians. The Albanian Congregation created four operational units during the war: snipers, miners, artillery, and mortars, in addition to tactical trainers. This last cadre, which transformed into “Albanian Tactical,” was established in 2017. Since its formation, Albanian Tactical has played a key role among northwestern Syrian jihadists by taking a leading role in managing military and operational affairs in the region, in addition to both conducting offensives and defending Ribāṭāt (fortress points) in the governorates of Idlib, Hama, Aleppo, and Latakia as well as administering training camps (Al Aan TV, May 14, 2023).

Albanian Tactical puts out strong propaganda that particularly promotes its snipers, in addition to highlighting the quality of its military training and planning. As part of Xhemati Alban, the tactical group was aligned with HTS and its operations room. It was also closely allied to—and conducted joint training with—Yurtugh Tactical and the Chechen jihadist group Ajnad al-Kavkaz (for more on Yurtugh Tactical, see Terrorism Monitor, January 20, 2023). As previously mentioned, Albanian Tactical has devoted itself primarily to the training of Syria’s nascent special forces since the fall of the regime.

Training the New Syrian Army

Despite the fall of al-Assad’s regime and the establishment of a new government under former HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the tactical groups have continued their military and training activities as before. Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical have disseminated numerous propaganda images and videos in recent months to highlight their involvement in the recruitment and training of soldiers for the new Syrian Army in general and the new special forces in particular (X/@G88Daniele, February 13, March 7). The training by the two tactical groups includes target shooting with pistols and rifles, the use of drones, rocket propelled grenades (RPGs), and guerrilla operations in forest areas (X/@G88Daniele, April 5). The most novel innovation as compared with past propaganda has been the introduction of training in emergency medicine, conducted in cooperation with the Tacmed Sham tactical group (LinkedIn/Roberto Lafforgue, accessed June 21).

In May, Albanian Tactical published photos and videos in which it trained Syrian special forces on how to protect themselves and react to an ambush (X/@G88Daniele, May 7). This is an important aspect of special forces operations. Notably, the officers of the new Syrian Army (mostly former jihadist commanders) are taking advantage of Albanian Tactical’s expertise to train their men in covert operations, counter-terrorism, and reconnaissance. Training has also included direct intervention, particularly against the new threat posed by Islamic State (IS) cells and lingering pro-Assad militants. This comes as a surprise, as many might have expected al-Sharaa and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to rely on trainers from partner countries—namely Turkey—which boasts especially well-trained special forces units and has played a major role in arming HTS.

Conclusion

The jihadist tactical groups in Syria are all composed of foreign fighters, [5] and since the fall of al-Assad’s regime, they each must adapt to the new situation in Syria. The foreign fighters will have to choose whether to stay in the “new Syria” or move on to participate in other conflicts further afield. In the meantime, they continue to operate against the remnants of the former regime while spreading propaganda about their training capabilities and expertise. [6] Given their training capacity and considerable military experience, it is important to monitor the tactical groups’ possible future activities in Syria and potential move toward other operational theatres. It is likely that in the medium term, Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical will continue to assist the new Syrian government, both in the recruiting and training of new soldiers, and in improving the Syrian Army’s lethality and operational effectiveness. In the long term, these units could train new jihadist groups operating in other wars or otherwise decide to move abroad and act as combatants in other conflicts.

Notes:

[1] In particular, Fursan Tactical and Muhojir Tactical have been involved in these activities.

[2] This was done with Ajnad al-Kavkaz, the Syrian branch of the Islamic Party of Turkestan (TIP) and HTS.

[3] The first post in said channel stated: “After the fall of Assad, our work resumes with renewed vigor.”

[4] For more details, see: “Malhama Tactical is Back,” on Daniele Garofalo Monitoring, January 28.

[5] In addition to Malhama Tactical and Albanian Tactical, there are: Fursan Tactical and FSM1453 Tactical (both comprised of Turks), Musafeer Tactical (comprised of Tajiks and Kazakhs), Muhojir Tactical (comprised of Uzbeks), Omair Tactical (predominantly Germans), Tacmed Sham (predominantly Russians), and Yurtugh Tactical (mainly Uyghurs), all of which have been operating in Syria for years.

[6] See “Propaganda of the Jihadist Tactical Groups. From January to March 2025,” on Daniele Garofalo Monitoring, April 14.