The Guardians of Syria Forces - Lions of Hussein (Arabic: قوات حماة سوريا - أسود الحسين, Quwat Humat Souriya - Usud al-Hussein), formerly known as Lions of Hussein Brigade (Arabic: لواء أسود الحسين, Liwa Usud al-Hussein) and often shortened to Lions of Hussein, are an Alawite militia which fights for the Ba'athist government during the Syrian Civil War. The unit originates as Shabiha, a criminal organization that has operated in Latakia Governorate since the 1980s, and only adopted its current name and appearance in 2015. Since then, the Lions of Hussein reportedly continued their "criminal activities on the side".