| Country: | Syria |
| Details of Formation: | The group was formed by Abu A’ed, a Lebanese citizen, together with a group of Arab Nationalist Youth from various Arab countries. They felt that Western interference in Syria was threatening the ideology of pan-Arabism. News sources diverge on whether the group was founded in April or May 2013. |
| Details of Termination: | -- |
| Purpose: | The main purpose of the ANG is to help defend Syria against what it perceives as a colonialist project by outside powers and to preserve Syria’s unity. |
| Organisation: | The ANG closely cooperates with the Syrian army and the National Defense Forces. The ANG is fully-funded by the Syrian army. Former chief officers in their 50s from Iraqi and Egyptian military and Palestinian groups are training and cooperating with the Syrian army regarding military tactics. Younger recruits are actively involved in fighting. |
| Weapons and Training: | The ANG receives training from the Syrian army. This includes drills and fire-arm training in ANG or Syrian military camps in Damascus. |
| Size: | The number of fighters of the ANG grew significantly following the threat of US strikes on Syria in September 2013. As of May 2014, the ANG had over 1,000 guards. Additionally, there is an unknown number of volunteers whose size depends on constant fluctuations depending on the location and the sensitivity of the fighting. |
| Reason for Membership: | Recruits come from nationalist and pan-Arab movements and are likely to be motivated by Arab nationalism. |
| Treatment of Civilians: | -- |
| Other Information: | The group is inspired by pan-Arab ideology, emphasizing the necessity of liberating and uniting all Arabs into a single political entity. Members of the ANG include former and current members of the ANYC, a youth camp of Arabs from various pan-Arab parties and movements across the region. |
| References: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD |