Editing Syrian Armed Forces (section)

===First and Second Republic (1946–1963)===
[[File:Syria-flag 1932-58 1961-63.svg|thumb|Flag of the Syrian Republic (1932–1958), and again from 1961 to 1963]]
The Syrian Armed Forces fought in the [[1948 Arab–Israeli War]] (against Israel) and were involved in some [[military coup]]s. Between 1948 and 1967, a series of coups destroyed the stability of the government and any remaining professionalism within the armed forces.{{sfn|Pollack|2002}} In March 1949, the chief of staff, Gen. [[Husni al-Za'im]], installed himself as president. Two more military dictators followed by December 1949. Gen. [[Adib Shishakli]] then held power until deposed in the [[1954 Syrian coup d'etat]]. Further coups followed, each attended by a purge of the officer corps to remove supporters of the losers from the force.{{sfn|Pollack|2002|p=457–458}}
[[File:Flag of the United Arab Republic.svg|thumb|Flag of the [[United Arab Republic]] (1958–1961) and again of the Arab Republic of Syria from 1980 to 2024]]
The Syrian armed forces were part of the [[Armed Forces of the United Arab Republic]] between 1958 and 1961. Some Syrian ground forces formed the [[First Army (United Arab Republic)]] while the Second and Third Armies were established by the Egyptian half of the unified state.