The Syrian Civil Defence Forces, also known as Self-Protection Squads, is a

civil defence Civil defense ( en, region=gb, civil defence) or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state (generally non-combatants) from man-made and natural disasters. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mit ...

organisation that operates in

Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...

. It is also known as The People's Army. Directors-General of the organisation have included

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

Abdel-Chani Jamal. The forces are divided into units or squads. The Syrian Civil Defence Forces have been part of the ICDO (

International Civil Defence Organisation The International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) is an intergovernmental organization with the objective to contribute to the development by States of structures ensuring the protection and assistance of population and safeguarding property and ...

) from 1972 onward, when there were around 50,000 volunteers. They are not connected to, and should not be confused with, the White Helmets / Syria Civil Defence (SCD).

Notes

{{Reflist Emergency services in Syria Volunteer organizations Pro-government factions of the Syrian civil war