Firas Issa is a field commander currently working with the Syrian's army Fourth Division. I recently interviewed him regarding the situation in the southern province of Deraa. Issa has himself gained some renown, with the pro-insurgent 'Nors Studies' describing him as 'among the most prominent personalities of the Fourth Division in the attack on Deraa.'
As per Issa's suggestion, I thought it would be helpful to provide an overview of his own military career through an interview I conducted with him yesterday.
Q: Could you speak in summary about your life before the war?
A: Before the war in 2007 I travelled outside the country to the Caribbean islands: the state of Haiti. I remained in them for three years. I returned at the end of 2010.
Q: When did you bear arms for first time against the insurgents and for what reasons? And with which formations did you fight?
A: The first time I bore arms was in September 2011 at the beginning of the war. The reasons were to defend our honour and our land and our homeland. I have an ideological belief: there is no person who can change my thought about the homeland. I fought with many formations, in the beginning with the Ninth Armoured Division in Deraa. Afterwards I was the commander of the assault group in the Fourth Division. I moved to the al-Bustan Association as a military commander for the al-Kameet Forces working with the Tiger Forces: speciality assault machine guns. I was in this role for a long time, after which I was transferred to the forces of the Fourth Division in the capacity of the commander of a platoon of fire support working with the al-Ghaith Forces that need no definition.
Q: What are the battles in which you participated? In which regions were these battles?
A: There is no battle on the Syrian land I have not participated in. The most important of those battles: the battles of the oil fields in Sha'er, Jazal, and Hayyan. The battles to break the siege of Aleppo, the battles to liberate eastern and western Hama countryside, the battle to assault al-Ramousa and the military colleges in Aleppo, the battles to liberate eastern Aleppo, the battles to break the siege of Deir az-Zor, the battles to assault Abu al-Dhuhur airport in Idlib countryside, the battles to liberate Palmyra and the badiya, the battle to liberate Albukamal, the battle to liberate Manahem Khanifis, the battle to liberate Eastern Ghouta, the battle to resist the Da'eshi attack on Suwayda', the battle to assault Kabbani mountains in Latakia countryside, the battle to liberate Aleppo city and to open the old Aleppo route and its opening entirely, the battle to loberate Jabal Shahashbo in Idlib countryside, the battles of Deraa in their entirety. They are the most important battles disregarding the secondary battles.
Q: Could you mention the most important memories from those battles? For example were you wounded in any battle? Do you have memories with some of the companions who were martyred? What were the fiercest battles?
A: I received 13 wounds, the harshest of which was in the liberation of Palmyra. I was wounded in my left eye and a shot in my shoulder. And until now the shrapnel is in my eye and it hurts me a lot. I have many memories with companions of arms and our martyr brothers, present in the heart and far-removed from the eye. It's true: waging battles is difficult but the smile of our companions made us forget our troubles.
I did not imagine I would still be living till today. The battles we participated in were harsh to the point I did not imagine I would still be living to this time. The fiercest battle I participated in was the assault on the military colleges and al-Ramousa in Aleppo and the battle to liberate eastern Hama countryside.
Q: Have you receive any awards in recognition of your heroisms in the field?
A: I have an award from the commander of the Ninth Division, shield of steadfastness from the commander of the First Legion, shield of courage from the leader of Liwa al-Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him), a commemorative gift from his eminence Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah in recognition of my deeds in the battles of Palmyra, and praise from Mr. Brigadier General al-Nimr [Suhail al-Hassan] in the battle to break the siege of Deir az-Zor.