Nearly 550 people recruited in five weeks | “Liwa Fatemiyoun” continues recruiting young and adult males in Al-Qamishli and Al-Hasakah
Will the afghani "Liwa Fatemiyoun" become the second most powerful Iranian-backed militia in Syria after Lebanese Hezbollah?!
Reliable sources have informed the Syrian Observatory that the Iranian-baked militia “Liwa Fatemiyoun” continues recruiting young males and adult men in its military groups in Al-Hasakah and Al-Qamishli cities. According to SOHR sources, an Iranian person called “Haj Ali” and a former commander of the “National Defence Forces” (NDF) known by his initials as M.W. supervise the recruitment operations in the region. It is worth noting that a large number of NDF fighters has joined “Liwa Fatemiyoun”.
Moreover, the number of recruits has reached 550 so far, 290 of whom are ex-NDF fighters and commanders, while the rest are civilians and fighters of several tribes, including Al-Ubayd, Yassar, Hareeth, Bani Sab’a and Al-Sharayeen. In order to attract more people, “Liwa Fatemiyoun” offers financial incentives and relatively high monthly salaries in light of the poor living conditions. On the other hand, the new recruits receive training in camps in Tartab Brigade in southern Al-Qamishli.
It is worth noting that the Lebanese Hezbollah is the most powerful pro-Iran military formation in Syria, as it largely attracts and recruits Syrians to several affiliated military groups, the most prominent of which is known as the “Syrian Hezbollah”, but, will “Liwa Fatemiyoun” become the second most powerful Iranian-backed militia in Syria?!
On February 14, SOHR sources reported that Iran continued strengthening its presence in Syrian territory, consolidating its influence in regime-controlled areas, by recruiting pro-regime militiamen and civilians into pro-Iranian militias.
SOHR sources reported that the Iranian expansion reached the cities of al-Qamishli and al-Hasakah, as the pro-Iran “Liwaa Fatimiyoun” recruited members of the National Defence Forces” and civilians in its militias in regime-controlled areas, in return for monthly salaries of about 350,000 Syrian pounds each.
The militia started recruitment operations in the area at a time when regime-controlled areas were besieged by “Asayish” in mid-January. Meanwhile, the militia recruited more than 205 NDF members and some 35 civilians.
The new recruits were transferred to “Tartab Regiment” south of al-Qamishli in order to undergo training courses and then they would be transferred to west Euphrates region.
It is worth noting that each NDF members had received an estimated 50,000 Syrian pounds from regime forces as a monthly salary, which means that the new salary would be about six times higher, as a part of the financial incentives offered by Iran in return for the recruitment of adult men and young males, especially in light of the recent poor living conditions.
Syrian Observatory sources added that these recruitment operations were met with resentment by the Russian side, as Iran competed with the Russians for influence in al-Qamishli and al-Hasakah.
Moreover, the NDF command appointed, two days earlier, a member of the People’s Assembly known by his initials as H.A. as commander of National Defence Forces in al-Hasakah province, after a significant decline in the numbers of NDF members. It is worth noting that the NDF members in al-Qamishli and al-Hasakah were about 800, of whom only 300 remained after hundreds of them left the militia and joined Asayish Forces and “Liwaa Fatimiyoun”.