May 22, 2013
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The week's top five must-sees,
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Description
The Syrian Army, officially the Syrian Arab Army, is the land force branch of the Syrian Armed Forces. It is the dominant military service of the four uniformed services, controlling the senior most posts in the armed forces, and has the greatest manpower, approximately 80 percent of the combined services. The Syrian Army was formed by the French after World War I, after the French obtained a mandate over the region.
Since 1948 it has played a major role in Syria's governance, mounting five military coups. It has fought four wars with Israel and one with Jordan. An armoured division was also deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990–91, but saw little action. From 1976 to 2005 it was the major pillar of the Syrian occupation of Lebanon. Internally it played a major part in suppressing the 1979–82 Islamic uprising in Syria, and since early 2011 has been heavily engaged in fighting what initially was an uprising, but is now being referred to as the Syrian civil war.
(via Freebase)
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![Syrian forces launch Daraa assault as army defections spread [Dubai TV, UAE]](/images/image_cache/base-824000/824751/thumbnail.width=304,height=171,grow=1,crop=center.jpg?sig=be52781ce2797c6bf744d49c9de832c5)
![Syria violence intensifies as UN vote looms [Dubai TV, UAE]](/images/image_cache/base-782000/782973/thumbnail.width=304,height=171,grow=1,crop=center.jpg?sig=7c60ffaa95fe854ba61dfff0bc862964)
![Bombardment of Syrian city continues for 10th day [BBC Arabic, UK]](/images/image_cache/base-744000/744900/thumbnail.width=304,height=171,grow=1,crop=center.jpg?sig=ca4042ad74fa8de0fd9dc2aac410c78d)
![Free Syrian Army claims responsibility for blasts in Aleppo [BBC Arabic, UK]](/images/image_cache/base-672000/672510/thumbnail.width=304,height=171,grow=1,crop=center.jpg?sig=7039da60ad0b40a15a53adb93d59699c)
![Deadly assault continues on Syria's Homs for sixth straight day [BBC Arabic, UK]](/images/image_cache/base-576000/576141/thumbnail.width=304,height=171,grow=1,crop=center.jpg?sig=9c839e0e76a891971306d307f2e852bc)
