Syria Human Rights Watch: Iran Recruits Militias at Six Times Assad Regime’s Wage

The Syrian Human Rights Watch group reported that Iran is recruiting members for its paramilitary groups on Syrian soil with monthly salaries six times higher than those paid by the Assad regime. This action has caused displeasure in Moscow.

According to the Syrian Human Rights Watch group based in London, the Islamic Republic, including by recruiting paramilitaries loyal to Bashar Assad’s regime, is working to strengthen its presence on Syrian soil and consolidate its influence in areas under the control of that country’s regime.

Based on this report published on February 14 (26 Bahman) on the organization’s website (SOHR), Iran is using Liwa Fatemiyoun in this regard, which is composed of Afghan paramilitaries. Sources from this human rights group also stated that Iran is particularly expanding its influence in the cities of Qamishli and Hasaka.

It is said that forces loyal to the Islamic Republic conducted recruitment operations when areas under Assad regime control were besieged by Kurdish forces in mid-January.

The Syrian Human Rights Watch, which is composed of opponents of Bashar Assad’s regime, writes that Iran’s action has provoked displeasure from the Russian government because that country’s military forces are present in areas where Iran has increased its activities.

Also, new forces are being transferred for special training to Tartib groups in southern Qamishli and then move to the west of the Euphrates region.

“Sixfold” Salaries

According to the Syrian Human Rights Watch, Iran has raised the monthly salary of these individuals from 50,000 to over 300,000 Syrian pounds, which under these crisis conditions has special appeal for young men.

According to this organization’s data, Iran recently employed more than 205 members of the Syrian National Defense Forces and approximately 35 civilians in Qamishli and Hasaka under the supervision of an Iranian named “Hajj Ali.”

According to this report, the number of National Defense Forces in these two regions was about 800 people, with only 300 reportedly remaining at present. Many of them have joined the al-Asayish group and Liwa Fatemiyoun.

According to the Syrian Human Rights Watch’s statistics, the total number of volunteers who have joined the ranks of Iranian forces and paramilitaries loyal to them in southern Syria has reached over 9,600 people.

Furthermore, some forces affiliated with the Islamic Republic have moved their weapons to new warehouses, some of which are civilian centers. These centers are located near the cities of Mayadeen and Abu Kamal in eastern Deir ez-Zor province near the Syria-Iraq border.

The Israeli government has repeatedly emphasized that it will prevent Iran’s further infiltration into Syria at all costs. In recent weeks, positions of forces affiliated with Iran in Syria have been targeted by airstrikes several times. These attacks are attributed to Israel.

Source: DW