Omer Koparan and Selen Temizer
July 08, 2019•Update: July 08, 2019
AZAZ, Syria
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) has manufactured the first armored personnel carrier in the Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch areas in northwestern Syria.
Inspired by Turkish armored vehicles, Al-Fahd carrier was the fruit of FSA effort in the field of defense industries in the wake of Turkey's Euphrates Shield operation in 2017.
The 4x4 vehicle turns at a speed of 80 km/hour on flat land and 30 km/hour through mountainous terrain, according to a source with the FSA-affiliated Al-Hamza division.
The personnel carrier has a length of 6 meters, height of 3 m and width of 1.75 m.
It is equipped with a hydraulic rear door, seven side openings for shooting, bullet-proof glass, a shield against light and heavy landmines and a steel mesh for protection against RPG shells, the source said.
It is also equipped with an automatic machinegun, a high-definition night vision screen and an advanced communication system.
The FSA carrier can take 10 soldiers, including a five-person crew.
Since 2016, Turkey’s Euphrates Shield and Olive Branch operations in northwestern Syria have liberated the region -- including Al-Bab, Afrin, and Azaz -- from YPG/PKK and Daesh terrorists, making it possible for Syrians who fled violence there to return home.
Syria is locked in a devastating conflict since early 2011, when the Bashar al-Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected brutality.
Since then, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed and more than 10 million displaced, according to UN figures.
