Iranian military in Syria in June 2021 | US attack ….. Weapon ferries continue to Iranian colony in Syria …. Purchasing real estates continues near Lebanon borders
Iranian forces and their proxy militias still continue strengthening their presence throughout regime-held areas, disregarding the “cold war” with Russians and the repeated airstrikes by Israel and International Coalition, which are unable to put an end to such efforts or even hinder them.
In the following report, SOHR highlights the key developments in areas dominated by the Iranians in June 2021.
US attack and Iranian reaction
On June 9, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activists has reported a rise in casualties caused by Israeli strikes on Homs countryside in the late hours of Tuesday to 11 Syrian nationals affiliated to the regime forces and the National Defense forces including a brigadier.
The Israeli attacks have hit a scientific research center in Kharbat al-Tinah and other military posts and positions in the area stationed in western Homes. The strikes also have targeted ammunition warehouse for Lebanese Hezbollah south of Homs city. The deaths may increase because some wounded are in serious conditions. Information has reported other casualties from non-Syrian people.
On June 28, SOHR activists have reported rise of casualties due to US air attack at the early hours of Monday on military posts under control of the Iranian militia near at the Iraqi-Syrian borders. Seven members of Iraqi Al-Hashd al-Shaabi have been killed in the US attack in eastern Deir Ezzor at the Iraqi borders. The attacks also have destroyed weapons warehouse and another military post of the militia. Number of casualties is expected to rise because some sustained serious wounds.
On June 30, SOHR activists have reported fire shelled by heavy artillery from al-Omar oilfield base in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor, which is the largest base of the international coalition. The shelling targeted Iranian-backed militia’s posts in al-Mayadeen Desert west of Euphrates in Deir Ezzor countryside, without mentioning the exact locations of the targets accurately.
Iranian colony
Military sector
On June 23, SOHR activists, in western Euphrates that has been turned into a semi Iranian colony at the Syrian lands, have reported that militias of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Iraqi al-Hashd al-Shaab have launched in eh past few hours, live experiments on the rocket launchers that were locally manufactured in the region under supervision of Iranian experts at the beginning of June and end of May.
According to SOHR, the militia have installed the local missile launchers in the two cities of al-Mayadeen and al-Boukmal. Several local Iranian missiles have been launched randomly towards the same areas.
On June 4, reliable SOHR sources in areas under the control of the Iranians in west Euphrates region confirmed that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) are manufacturing individual rocket launchers which use Iranian-made missiles in al-Mayadeen area, the capital of the Iranians in west Euphrates region.
On June 11, reliable sources in west Euphrates region have told SOHR that the Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces brought in a new weapons shipment from Iraq to west Euphrates region, via crossings run by Iranian-backed militias. According to SOHR sources, the shipment, which comprised medium range surface-to-surface missiles, has been stored in warehouses in the archaeological region of al-Shabla and archaeological fortress of al-Rahba on the outskirts of al-Mayadeen city in eastern Deir Ezzor. This development comes as a part of the Iranians’ misuse of the Syrian monuments, and their violations against Syria’s heritage.
Meanwhile, Iranian-backed militias continue recruiting young and adult men in west Euphrates region by offering financial incentives and continuous usage of religion and sectarianism.
Moreover, recruitment operations also extended to women and girls, as SOHR sources reported in the recent time that “Abu el Fadel al-Abbas militia” entrusted nearly 25 women of its militiamen’s families to communicate with other girls and women in al-Mayadeen and convinced them to convert to Shiism. SOHR sources added that the Shia females were also instructed to convince the new affiliates to join some religious courses for explaining the Shiism in some cultural centers by offering them food supplies. This development came in light of Iranian-backed militias’ carrot policies for luring the inhabitants to join their ranks.
On June 11, SOHR activists have reported that the Iran-backed militia started to withdraw the military IDs of its forces stationed in Deir Ezzor desert after the spread renting and owning of that IDs by ISIS in the desert of Deir Ezzor. ISIS fighters use the Iranian-backed militia IDs to move among the regime checkpoints with the military uniform.
Syrian Observatory activists also have documented that the Iran-backed militia have informed all the checkpoints to take the IDs from the militia members while crossing. They also asked all the military patrols and headquarters to withdraw hundreds of IDs from the elements and asked the militia factions to check the data with the information they have and to work on a new mechanism that guarantees un-misusing it by ISIS.
Reliable sources in al-Mayadeen city, the capital of the Iranian forces and their proxy militias in west Euphrates region, have reported the graduation of a new batch of individuals recruited recently by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the city. The batch, which comprised nearly 85 recruits, had undergone a military course for a month in al-Mazare’ area which hosts the largest gathering of Iranian-backed militias in west Euphrates region.
According to SOHR sources, 40 of the new recruits have been learned how to use various types of heavy machineguns, while the 45 others learned how to use medium and light machineguns.
Entrenchment of presence
On June 15, Syrian Observatory activists in areas dominated by Iranian forces and militias in west Euphrates region have reported that the Iranian Culture Centre in al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor arranges a trip for ten of children from the region to Ain Ali shrine on the outskirts of the city. Through this trip, the Iranians aim to make children aware of the religious significance of the shrine for the Shiite community and the advantage of getting blessing of water of the shrine’s spring. During the trip the officials of the Culture Centre distributed candy to the children.
This development comes as a part of the Iranians’ attempts attract the Syrians, men, women, youth and children, by impressing them and instilling their ideology in the Syrian society.
On June 22, SOHR activists in western Euphrates areas have reported that “Iranian Cultural Center”, in al-Mayadeen town in eastern Deir Ezzor, has organized in the past few days a free course for teaching montage and photography in the headquarters of the center. Dozens of the inhabitants and the local residents have joined the course that will last for a month. By the end of the course, the center will choose some of the participants and will employ them at the media bureau of the Iranian Cultural Center.
It is worth noting that the center is headed by Hag Hussein who is Shiite from Homs after the former chairman, Hag Sadiq, an Iranian national, has been promoted to another post which is the manger of the Iranian cultural centers across Syria.
-Other developments
On June 4, Deir Ezzor province: Reliable sources have told SOHR that the Iranian-backed militias have suspended working in “Fatema al-Zahraa” hospital in al-Mayadeen city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor until further notice. This decision comes after the Iranians’ inability to bear the cost of treatment in the hospital, especially with the large number of civilians and militiamen who go to the hospital for treatment on a daily basis as well as the lack of hospital’s operational capacity.
It is worth noting that the Iranian-backed militias had seized a villa belonging to a civilian from al-Mayadeen in 2018 and turned it into a hospital with full support by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
On June 20, SOHR activists, in al-Mayadeen, the capital of the Iranians and their proxies in western Euphrates, have reported that Afghan “Liwa’a Fatimiyoun” militia has sate fire in two houses in al-Arbaeen street in estern Deir Ezzor. The militia has taken the two houses as headquarters before moving the headquarter in al-Tomour neighborhood while reasons of burning the two houses remained unknown till the moment.
It is worth noting that the two houses were owned by two brothers in the neighborhood, one of them is living in al-Mayadeen while the other lives in al-Tabaqah city stationed under the influence of Syrian Democratic Forces.
On the other hand, Liwa’a Fatimiyoun” militia has seized the two houses at the beginning of 2018.
Purchasing real estate continues in Reef Dimashq, strengthening presence near Lebanese borders
Iran tirelessly continues expansion in the Syrian lands via varied means and methods of different nationalities and via its arms across Syria.
On June 11, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activists have documented that Iran had continued tirelessly its expansion inside the Syrian lands. SOHR sources in western al-Ghouta in Damascus have reported expansion in the purchase process of real estate in the city of Ma’madyat al-Sham where its populations hade been deported several year ago, and other areas in West al-Ghouta. The purchase deals have been concluded by merchants and persons from Deir Ezzor with direct orders from Iran-backed militia of non-Syrian nationals.
The traders, who directly are connected to Iran-backed militia, offer generous amounts of money to the real estate brokers and offices in the area and they recently, bought dozens of real estates like the case in eastern al-Ghouta by the same network of militia. Such practices are directly listed under the systematic demographic change that has become the prominent feature in all the Syrian lands while only the Syrian civilians are paying the heavy prices of such changes.
Meanwhile, Syrian areas located near the Lebanese border in Reef Dimashq have witnessed ongoing moves of Lebanese Hezbollah and Iran-backed militia of non-Syrian nationalities. Hezbollah supervises all incomes and outcomes of the region as the acting ruler.
On June 17, Syrian Observatory sources have monitored ongoing movements by Iranian-backed militias in areas on the Syria-Lebanon border in Rif Dimashq, under supervision and support by the Lebanese Hezbollah, the de facto ruler of this area, as the purchasing of plots of land along the border strip is still on progress.
In this context, SOHR activists have confirmed that the Iranian-backed militias have purchased over 320 plots of land in Al-Zabadani and surrounding areas and at least 465 plots in Al-Tufayl border area since early 2021, turning the region into an “independent” village headed by H.D. who is close to the Lebanese Hezbollah commanders.
Moreover, these militias continue taking over luxury apartments and villas in Bludan area and other surrounding areas, bringing the number of villas and apartments these militiamen inhabited in to 231 so far. These practices take place with full support by the Lebanese Hezbollah which facilitating such operations.
It seems that the Iranian-backed militias disregard the Syria’s laws which ban selling or purchasing any land plots in border areas, while media concentration and coverage, by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in particular, have not hindered such “suspicious” movements.
-Ongoing expansion in al-Hasakah after loss of al-Qamishly
Moving to northeast Syria, Iranian forces and militia in al-Qamishly city, had been defeated after end of presence of NDF and sacking them from the areas. Meanwhile, Iran-backed militia, especially Afghan Liwaa Fatimyoun escalate recruitment operation in cities of al-Hasakah and al-Qamishly. It managed to recruit 710 persons in al-Hasakah and al-Qamishly including 315 of NDF leaders and members and 395 civilian and tribesmen, especially tribes of al-Abeed, Yassar, Harith, Bani Sabaa and al-Shareen.
The recruitment operation took place since middle of January until al-Qamishly events by end of April. The Iranian militia transferred the recruited members to outside al-Qamishly, most of them have been taken to western Euphrates, the Iranian colony in Syria.
Loss of al-Qamishly hasn’t hinder the Iran forces and proxies of expansion in the area amid policies of strengthening its influence in Syrian different areas.
In al-Hasakah city, SOHR activists have reported that Iranian militia in the past few days and weeks have bought more than 35 real estate in the Syrian regime-held areas in al-Hasakah within 100 meters. The area is known as “security square” area and included headquarters of the province, Palace of Justice, immigration and visa service and other services and civil circuits, military headquarters, security branches and Palestine Street.
According to SOHR activists, purchase of real estate coincided with ongoing attempts of recruiting more men and women in the city especially NDF via financial seduction. Iran seeks to prove its upper hand in real ground amid cold was between the Syrian regime most prominent allies, while the regime remained silent as image ruler.
-Ongoing military enforcements towards new base eastern Aleppo
Iran-backed militia still sent military and logistic reinforcement to its base that has been established at the beginning of May 2021 eastern Aleppo in the opposite side of the SDF-controlled and international Coalition areas on the other bank of Euphrates River.
On June 14, Reliable sources in the eastern countryside of Aleppo have told SOHR that the Iranian-backed militias have brought in new military reinforcement in the past few hours to their recently-established base on a hill in Habboubah village between al-Khafsah and Maskanah, near the bank of the Euphrates river and opposite areas under the control of the International Coalition and Syria Democratic Forces on the river’s other bank.
According to SOHR sources, the new reinforcement included weapons, ammunition and medium-range surface-to-surface missiles from west Euphrates region. It is worth noting that this is the second batch of reinforcement to be brought to the area in 20 days, while no confirmed information has been reported so far about the goals or objectives.
In the meantime, Iranian-backed militias, led by the Afghani Liwaa Fatemiyoun continued recruitment operations east Aleppo countryside through offering financial incentives. According to SOHR sources, the number of people recruited by Iranian-backed militias since early February has risen to nearly 985. The recruitment operations are concentrated in the areas of Maskanah, al-Sfirah, Deir Hafer, and other areas in towns and villages of eastern Aleppo through Iran’s spiritual proxies and bureaus that offer financial incentives.