Iran’s presence in Syria in October 2022 | Ongoing demographic change in Rif Dimashq…considerable military movements in western Euphrates…continuous Israeli attacks

Iran and its proxy militias have unprecedented influence in most areas under the “symbolic” regime control, as neither attacks by Israel and the International Coalition, nor the “cold war” with Russia could hinder the alarming entrenchment and expansion of these forces across Syria. Strengthening their presence and promoting their ideology, the Iranians are still carrying on with their systematic plan to change the demography of different areas throughout Syria’s geography.

 

In the following report, SOHR highlights the key developments in areas dominated by the Iranians in October 2022.

 

 

West Euphrates region: Noticeable movements and considerable entrenchment of presence

 

Military movements

 

In early October, SOHR activists reported seeing frequent flight by International Coalition helicopters over the crossings on the Euphrates river separating areas controlled by SDF from areas under the control of Iranian-backed militias in Mayadeen city in Deir Ezzor countryside. Meanwhile, Iranian-backed militias were put on high alert in Al-Mayadeen city. Also, Iranian-backed militias prosecuted several civilians, after SOHR monitored the movements of the Iranian-backed militias, which were circulated on social media.

 

While on October 2, a group of trucks with Lebanese drivers were seen leaving Al-Mayadeen city and heading towards Deir Ezzor city. The trucks carried combatants, mostly affiliated to the Afghan “Liwaa Fatemiyoun,” and materiel.

 

On the other hand, an unknown explosion rocked Al-Qatarji square in Baqrus town on Euphrates river bank near Al-Mayadeen city in Deir Ezzor countryside, the “capital of Iranian-backed militias’ colony in eastern Syria,” on October 3. Following the explosion, Iranian-backed militias, military security members, the 4^th Division and National Defence Forces members were put on high alert in Al-Mayadeen city, while military reinforcement were sent to the site of the explosion and the road to that area was blocked.

 

Also, on October 7, Iranian-backed militias brought in machineries to two airports in Deir Ezzor countryside, which had been a base for gliders used for purposes related to development of agriculture in east Syria. According to SOHR sources, Iranian-backed militias transported heavy diggers and machineries used for construction to those airports in Al-Haydariyah area near Al-Mayadeen city, the “capital” of Iranian-backed militias in east Syria region, with the aim of establishing an airfield for drones. A few hours later, the Iranian-backed militias withdrew those heavy diggers and machineries from the two airports.

 

Similarly, on October 8, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia installed a rocket launchpad in the “plant nursery” building near the suspension bridge in Al-Hussayinyiah village in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor. This coincided with bringing in military equipment and machinery to the paper plant, close to areas controlled by SDF and the International Coalition in Islah Al-Hussayiniyah and Al-Jalamadah on the eastern bank of Euphrates river.

 

According to SOHR activists, the bringing of military machinery aims at protecting routes used for smuggling, while the rocket launchpad was oriented to Koniko gas field base of the International Coalition, and it had been hidden among trees planted around the “plant nursery” building. Moreover, Afghan “Fatimiyoun” militia installed radar system on “Hajif Ayyash” hill which overlooks Ayyash warehouses and Sa’ka camps in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor.

 

In mid-October, Iran-backed militias issued a circular to the commanders of militias, prohibiting them from sleeping in the headquarters or traveling in night hours and to use the roads between Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bokamal only. In the same context, commanders of the Afghan Liwaa Fatemiyoun rented a house near the courthouse in Al-Mayadeen city to constantly change their location.

 

While on October 26, commanders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanese Hezbollah asked subordinated members in Al-Mayadeen city to bring copies of their personal IDs, family data and personal photographs. According to SOHR sources, the militiamen rejected the repeated requests for identity documents, as extracting these papers costs 10,000 SYP. Accordingly, the militiamen were given sums of money to cover the cost of extracting the requested documents.

 

According to reliable sources, the leaders asked their subordinated militiamen to bring their IDs to make sure of their real identity and reveal if they had previously subordinated to enemy parties, as the leadership of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hezbollah suspect of these militiamen. The most loyal members of these local militias would be maintained, while some militiamen would be forced to strike reconciliation deals with regime forces.

 

A day later, October 27, Iranian-backed militias transported rocket launchpads from Al-Mayadeen city to Deir Ezzor city in refrigerated trucks used for transporting vegetables. Observatory activists in Al-Mayadeen city monitored several refrigerated trucks, escorted by civilian cars with Gulf registration plates, heading towards Deir Ezzor city.

 

Also, on October 30, Lebanese Hezbollah established new headquarters in Al-Mayadeen city. Moreover, three trucks loaded with ammunition arrived in Al-Mayadeen city, before it headed towards Al-Bokamal in Deir Ezzor countryside. Meanwhile, a bus carrying members of the 4^th Division members, which is affiliated with Iran, arrived at military positions to replace the troops deployed in Al-Mayadeen, then it headed toward Deir Ezzor.

 

 

Civil activities

 

On October 7, the Iranian Cultural Centre organised recreational trips for a group of students in areas dominated by Iranian-backed militias in Deir Ezzor city in light of their efforts to instill their ideologies into the segments of Syrian society. According to reliable SOHR sources, those trips lasted for two consecutive days, where the students and their families were taken by buses affiliated to the centre to “Karamish” garden in Huwaijat Sakr in Deir Ezzor city. The event included recreational activities, amid chanting special Iranian chants. The Iranians also granted the students and their families money and meals in order to woo and impress the students’ families and to spread “Shi’aism” proselytising operations (conversion to Shiite). It is worth noting that the Iranian-backed militias are exerting diligent efforts to strengthen their presence in Syria and spread “Shi’aism” among Syrian civilians in order to impose their influence across the entire Syrian geography.

 

 

Infightings

 

Areas dominated by Iranian-backed militias have experienced frequent states of tension and clashes among Iranian-backed militiamen and military formations, which are caused by disagreements over smuggling operations and exporting illicit drugs to neighbouring areas.

 

In this context, SOHR activists reported, on October 24, clashes between the National Defence Forces and Liwaa Fatemiyoun in Al-Asharah city in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor following disagreements over the administration of smuggling operations in that area.

 

 

Homs desert: Finding remains of Afghan fighters tops the events

 

In early October, Iranian-backed militias of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities brought in military reinforcement from the northern countryside of Homs to T4 military airbase.

 

The reinforcement, which comprised nearly military vehicles and 120 militiamen with their materiel, headed towards T4 military airbase and other surrounding areas. The militiamen were stationed in hangars in the eastern countryside of Homs.

 

Moreover, groups of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were also stationed in Al-Abbasiya area, nearly 30 kilometres to the south of Palmyra, after having left regime military positions. While on September 25, Iranian-backed Al-Quds militia transported members and officers from Palmyra military airport towards Al-Abbasiyah area, to the south of Palmyra, where the troops were stationed in several buildings and a hotel near a sulfuric water spring, as a part of redeployments by Iranian-backed militias, fearing potential Israeli attacks.

 

While on October 5, drills by Iranian-backed military formations were conducted under the supervision of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Lebanese Hezbollah in Palmyra military airbase. According to SOHR sources, these drills were designed to train Iranian-backed militiamen on the use of short and medium-range Iranian-made missiles on inanimate targets in the Syrian desert and Palmyra military airbase.

 

On October 16, a mass grave containing the remains of 17 members of the Afghan “Liwaa Fatemiyoun” was found at the southern entrance to Arak village, to the east of Palmyra. According to SOHR activists, regime military forces, a patrol of Al-Badiyah Intelligence branch and members of “Liwaa Fatemiyoun” excavated the tombs to exhume the remains of the recently-found bodies.

 

“Liwaa Fatemiyoun” members identified the bodies of the fighters through metal plates hanged in the dead people’s feet and their clothes. The bodies were taken in the Afghan militia’s cars to Palmyra national hospital, before having been buried in areas controlled by “Liwaa Fatemiyoun.” It is worth noting that “Liwaa Fatemiyoun” had participated in anti-ISIS combing campaigns, and its members were attacked and ambushed by ISIS members on many occasions.

 

 

Ongoing demographic change in Rif Dimashq

 

Iran continues its attempts to entrench its presence in Syria and change the demography of several areas under symbolic regime domination, with the help of Syrian individuals affiliated with Iranian-backed militias.

 

In this context, SOHR sources have reported that individuals from Deir Ezzor and now living in Damascus and Rif Dimashq continue purchasing real estate units in Qudsaya and Ma’raba in Rif Dimashq for the favour of Iranian-backed militias.

 

According to SOHR sources, a group of people from Al-Mayadeen and Al-Bokamal cities in east Deir Ezzor countryside are responsible for those purchases, and they also transport illicit pills from the Syria-Lebanon border to the Syria-Iraq border for the favour of the Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

Those individuals proceed with their illegal business under the cover of trading in vegetables, fruit and food stuffs. Before the spark of the Syrian Revolution, those individuals were vegetable and fruit merchants, before they expanded their business with the beginning of ISIS control of the region. Accordingly, they became businessmen and later worked for Iranian-backed militias, after the Iranians imposed their predominance on Deir Ezzor.

 

Recently, those Syrian individuals have had warehouses for storing foodstuffs in Rif Dimashq and transport vegetable and fruit by refrigerated truck and foodstuffs by trucks to Deir Ezzor and Iraq on a daily basis. However, those trucks are used as a cover for transporting illicit pills to Deir Ezzor and Iraq for the favour of Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

Furthermore, Iranian-backed militias continued strengthening their presence in areas near and on the Syria-Lebanon border in Rif Dimashq, disregarding Syria’s laws which ban selling or purchasing any land plots in border areas. With the Lebanese Hezbollah being the de facto ruler of this area, the purchasing of plots of land along the border strip was on progress.

 

According to SOHR sources, the Iranian-backed militias purchased over 648 plots of land in Al-Zabadani region and its surroundings and at least 723 plots in Al-Tufayl border area since early 2021, turning the region into an “independent” village headed by a Syrian man known by his initials as H. D. who is close to the Lebanese Hezbollah commanders.

 

On the other hand, these militias continued taking over luxury apartments and villas in Bludan area and other nearby areas, bringing the number of villas and apartments these militiamen inhabited in to more than 552. These practices took place with full support of the Lebanese Hezbollah which facilitated such operations, despite the large media coverage for that issue, especially by the Syrian Observatory.

 

 

Ongoing recruitment operations in eastern Aleppo

 

Iranian-backed militias, namely the Afghan militia of “Liwaa Fatemiyoun,” continued recruitment operations in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, exploiting the disastrous living conditions of Syrians throughout regime-controlled areas. According to SOHR sources, the number of people who joined Iranian-backed militias in the eastern countryside of Aleppo since the beginning of escalating recruitment operations in February 2021 approximated 3,000. These operations, which are carried out by spiritual figures and offices offering financial incentives, are concentrated in the areas of Maskanah, Al-Sfirah, Deir Hafer and other towns and villages in eastern Aleppo.

 

Meanwhile, SOHR sources reported, on October 20, that Iranian-backed militias brought logistical and military reinforcement to their military base in Habboubah village between Khafsa and Maskanah, east of Aleppo, which is located off SDF-held areas on the other bank of Euphrates river.

 

According to the sources, the reinforcement, which included weapons, ammunition, and Iranian-made short and medium-range missiles aboard two trucks and four-wheel drive vehicles, arrived at the from areas dominated by Iranian-backed militias west of Euphrates in Deir Ezzor province.

 

 

Ongoing Israeli attacks

 

As Israel continues to violate Syria’s sovereignty, SOHR documented three Israeli attacks that left heavy human and material losses. Here are further details of these attacks:

 

• October 21: Israeli strikes destroyed military logistics and equipment used to assemble Iranian-made drones in Dimas military airport area in western Rif Dimashq. The strikes also targeted a radar system and airstrip at the airport. However, no casualties were reported.

 

• October 24: A regime Lieutenant and a members of the regime’s air-defence forces were killed in Israeli airstrikes which targeted military positions hosting militiamen of the Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militias in Rif Dimashq. The strikes targeted an air-defence battalion in Khirbet Al-Shayab area of Al-Kiswa in Rif Dimashq and Dimas airport in Rif Dimashq which is directly run by Lebanese Hezbollah.

 

• October 27: Four “collaborators” with the Lebanese Hezbollah, including at least one Syrian, were killed in Israeli strikes which targeted weapons and ammunitions depots and Iranian-backed militias’ headquarters in the surrounding areas of Damascus international airport. The Israeli strikes reached six, four of which targeted weapons warehouses and positions of Iranian-backed militias and Lebanese Hezbollah in the farms to the west of Damascus airport, while the two others targeted areas to the south-west of the airport. The strikes also destroyed weapons and ammunitions depots and inflicted heavy material losses on Iranian-backed militias.

 

Separately, an International Coalition helicopter opened machinegun fire on positions near the old airport and Jabal Al-Omal (Al-Omal Mountain), which overlooks neighbourhoods of Deir Ezzor city, where regime forces and Iran-backed militias are stationed, along with the sound of heavy machinegun fire from the Coalition’s base in Koniko gas field in the north of Deir Ezzor.

 

Also, SOHR documented the death of six Iranian-backed militiamen in ISIS operations in different areas in the Syrian desert in October.

 

 

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) is used to hearing the Syrian regime’s empty mantra that it always reserves the right to respond to Israeli attacks. However, regime forces do not hesitate when it comes to shelling opposition positions or bombarding residential and civilian areas inside Syria. The Iranians also dare not launch a large-scale military operation against Israel, as they know full well that they will be facing the might of Israel’s military, so the Iranians seem satisfied with letting its proxies do its bidding by firing only a few rockets from time to time on the occupied Syrian Golan, using the Iranian and Hezbollah-backed movement “Syrian Resistance to Liberate Golan”.

 

At a time when the Syrian regime “intercepts and downs” Israeli missiles only with a Russian green light, Israel can hit Iranian targets -with the purpose of undermining the Iranian military presence in Syria- and only with Russia’s full consent.

 

On the other hand, Washington justifies Israel’s stance that “Tel Aviv practices its legal rights to defend its security and interests against the Iranian direct threat”, not to mention the US desire to get Syria free of Iranian forces and militias.

 

We, at the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), call for keeping the Syrian civilians out of the regional conflicts as the targeted areas and facilities are owned by Syrian people alone, not by Iran or its proxy militias.

 

SOHR stresses the importance of expelling the Iranian forces and militias from Syria without risking the safety and lives of civilians or damaging Syria’s public properties and facilities.