Iranian Army’s Advisory Mission Continues in Syria: Commander
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Lieutenant Commander of the Iranian Army Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdastan said the army forces are continuing their advisory mission in war-stricken Syria.
Speaking to the Tasnim News Agency, Brigadier General Pourdastan said following requests from the staff members of the Army’s Ground Force, the army dispatched commandos from its Special Forces, known as the 65th Brigade, to Syria for the first phase.
The commander added the capabilities of the commandos were such that a brigade named “Malik Ashtar” was established in Syria and they were appointed as the commanders of the brigade.
Brigadier General Pourdastan went on to say that the advisory mission of the Iranian Army forces continues in the Arab country.
The shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, a sister of Imam Hossein (AS), the third Shiite Imam, is located in Damascus, Syria. Iranian military advisers have played a decisive role in the protection of the holy shrine against terrorist attacks.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL), currently controlling parts of it.
According to a report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.
In the meantime, Iran has remained a close ally of Syria and supports its legitimate government in the face of foreign-backed militancy.
