Iran Recruits over 2,000 Syrian Combatants

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained documented information from a number of reliable sources on Iranian forces having recruited over 2,000 Syrian nationals, most of whom are Deir Ezzor locals.

Recruits receive direct funding, military and logistical support from Iranian forces operating on Syrian territory.

Sources presenting documented information stress that recruits are on Iranian payroll that ranges from 48,000 Syrian pounds to 75,000 Syrian pounds, varying according to both rank and time in service.

Such massive recruitment is accompanied with an Iranian desire to counter losses incurred by ongoing bombardment by Israeli and US-led international coalition strikes against its troops in Syria.

Iranian forces steadily exercise military expansion within Syrian territory, introducing elements of its infamous Revolutionary Guard or loyalist militias from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran and Asia.

The Observatory pointed out that there have been no withdrawals of Iranian military forces, Afghan, Asian, Iraqi and Lebanese Hezbollah militias from Syrian outposts insofar, and that they all remain stationed in deployments such as near Aleppo’s southern and northern countryside, Idlib’s eastern countryside, and northern and southern Hama suburbs.

A report published by the group stated that the number of Iranian forces comprising non-Syrian militiamen tops 32,000, of which 7,806 belonging to Iranian Revolutionary Guard, Afghan, Iraqi and Asian militias combined were killed.

The report included accounts of 1,649 deaths of Hezbollah militiamen as well.

Source: Iran Recruits over 2,000 Syrian Combatants | Asharq AL-awsat