In September 1970, the division alongside an independent armored brigade and the commando forces participated in an attack by the Syrian army in Jordan.

Later, rebels took control over the entire city after the Army retreated[20] towards Brigade 112 HQ base (located between the two towns) as well as Shaykh Maskin.

Syrian state broadcaster SANA said troops were "redeploying and reorganizing in the Nawa area... in order to prepare for upcoming fighting.

[24] As of 10 November 2014, according to a military source cited by pro-government media, the Army was still present in the South and East Districts of Shaykh Maskin, and reportedly cleared the two besieged areas surrounding Base 82 and Brigade 112.

[25] The next day, rebels advanced in Shaykh Maskin and took control of new positions and eventually captured the eastern neighborhoods on 12 November.

Furthermore, a 59th Commandos Battalion of the 5th Division participated in the fighting around Abu Dali, Idlib during the 2018 Northwestern Syria campaign.

[28] Since late 2018, the 5th Division units were given modern Russian equipment, trained in a new offensive strategy and filled with new graduates of the military academies.