Fearing repeated attacks | Iranian-backed militias store weapons in residential neighbourhoods and archaeological sites

Deir Ezzor Province – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Reliable sources in areas under the control of Iranian-backed militias in western Euphrates have informed SOHR that the Iranian-backed militias store weapons and ammunition in the archaeological Qal’atAl-Rahba the “Citadel of al-Rahba” nearby Al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. According to SOHR sources, the Iranian-backed militias use underground tunnels and cellars of Qal’atAl-Rahba, used previously by ISIS to stored their weapons during its control of the region, for fear of the repeated attacks on their positions and weapons and ammunition warehouses, especially since the citadel is grand and fortified. This is a grave violation and Iran is mainly responsible for any damage that may affect this archaeological Syrian site.

 

Moreover, the Iranian-militias risk the lives and safety of civilians by storing a portion of weapons and ammunition in residential areas and neighbourhoods in Al-Mayadeen city and countryside and Al-Bokamal city and countryside for fear of possible attacks by Israel or the International Coalition.

 

Yesterday, SOHR sources reported that the commercial movement between Iranian forces and their proxy militias on one hand, and the Iraqis on the other was growing, at a time when regime-controlled areas in all Syrian provinces were struggling with catastrophic living conditions and extreme poverty. Official and illegal crossings between Syria and Iraq in west Euphrates region experienced entry and exit of trucks carrying vegetables, fruit and other products on a daily basis. The Syrian Observatory would like to point out that the Iranian-backed militias exploit this commercial movement, on many occasions not always, to bring in weapons shipments to areas under their control aboard vegetables and fruit trucks.