Including damaged ones for camouflage | IRGC establishes Iranian-made rocket launchpads in eastern Deir Ezzor
Iranians’ movements escalate in Syria, despite lowing of Iranian flags and Syrian regime’s promises.
Deir Ezzor province: Reliable SOHR sources have reported that Iranian-backed militias established new rocket launchpads in areas they dominate in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor in west Euphrates region in the past few days. According to SOHR sources, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) established damaged launchpads in the desert between Baqrus and Ain Ali in Al-Mayadeen countryside for camouflage. In the meantime, IRGC established real launchpads, which had been brought in earlier from Iran, a short distance behind the fake ones and hid them perfectly to evade detection by International Coalition Forces.
This coincides with the noticeable escalation of Iranian-backed militias’ movements in Syria, which contravene Syrian regime’s promises to Arab countries to force Iranian-backed militias to leave Syria.
On Thursday, SOHR sources reported hectic movements in areas dominated by Iranian-backed militias in Syria at all levels, despite Syrian regime’s promises to Arab countries to curb Iranian expansion in Syria and reports of withdrawals by the Iranians and lowering their flags a few days earlier. However, SOHR activists confirmed that these promises remain unfulfilled, while no withdrawals were documented. On the contrary, SOHR sources in Deir Ezzor reported that Iranian-backed militias saw the graduation of a new batch of the so-called 217th Unit (Special Task Forces) after having been trained by officers of the Popular Mobilization Forces and the Lebanese Hezbollah in Al-Bokamal in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor. The recently-graduated members were deployed in Ain Ali area near Al-Mayadeen city, the “capital of Iranian-backed militias in east Syria,” in east Deir Ezzor countryside. After graduation, those who prove their loyalty to Iranian-backed militias are chosen to join the ranks of these militias with monthly salaries of 300 USD a member.
While on May 7, SOHR sources reported the arrival of a military column of Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps of 12 pick-up trucks in the Iranian centre of “Nasr” in Por Said street in Al-Orfi neighbourhood in Deir Ezzor city which is under the control of regime forces and Iranian-backed militias. According to SOHR sources, the column’s trucks were carrying tens of IRGC members who had undergone military courses in Ayyash camps in the western countryside of Deir Ezzor, as well as medium and light weapons.
A day earlier, May 6, SOHR sources reported that Iranian militias conducted military exercises on firing “modified” Iranian missiles in their camps near the vicinity of Al-Mayadin city “the capital of Iranian militias in eastern of Syria.”
Also, large amounts of raw materials and “Al-Shabwa” material were brought to the Captagon laboratory of the Syrian members of Iranian-backed militias and supervised by the Lebanese Hezbollah in Al-Mayadin city “the capital of Iranian militias in eastern of Syria” to make drugs, distribute them and move them to SDF-held areas on the other bank of Euphrates river.
In the meantime, Iranian cultural centres in Deir Ezzor continue their efforts to lure young men and children, where the cultural centre in Al-Villat neighbourhood in Deir Ezzor city announced, a few days ago, new courses for teaching Persian, English and commercial correspondence. This came as a part of ongoing exploitation of the dreadful living conditions of residents to spread “Shi’aism” proselytising operations (conversion to Shiite) and Persian.
In Rif Dimashq, however, the Lebanese Hezbollah ordered subordinated Syrian militias to bring in military reinforcement to the Syria-Lebanon border. The reinforcement included tens of members who were deployed in the vicinity of Al-Jebah town in Yabroud area in Rif Dimashq, amid movements by Hezbollah in that area and in Al-Kiswah in western Rif Dimashq.
While in Homs, precisely Palmyra area and its surroundings in the eastern countryside, Iranian-backed militias, headed by the Lebanese Hezbollah, escalated their movements which were manifested in transporting weapons and ammunitions to new positions, fearing expected attacks, as well as ongoing attempts to lure the region’s people to join their ranks.
In Aleppo, Iranian-backed militias are purchasing more real-estate units in Aleppo city, especially in the city’s eastern part, through Syrian individuals collaborating with Iranian-backed militias. In addition, recruitment of young men continued in the eastern countryside of Aleppo.