Official: Iran Recruiting Afghans to Reduce Hizbullah Casualties in Syria
Iran is recruiting Afghan refugees to fight in Syria to reduce casualties among Iranian Guards personnel and Hizbullah, a Western official said late Thursday.
Tehran strongly denies its forces are directly involved in the Syrian conflict but Hizbullah publicly acknowledged in April last year that it has been fighting alongside President Bashar Assad's troops.
Like Hizbullah and most Iranians, the Afghan recruits are Shiites and support Assad, whose Alawite faith is an offshoot of Shiite Islam, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In exchange for their recruitment of the Afghans, Iran is offering them stipends of $500 a month and residency permits, the paper said, quoting Afghans and Western officials.
Details of the recruitment drive by the elite Revolutionary Guards were posted this week on a blog catering to Afghan refugees in Iran, the Journal said.
It said this was confirmed by the office of Grand Ayatollah Mohaghegh Kabuli, an Afghan religious leader in the Iranian Shiite holy city of Qom.
The paper quoted the Western official in Iran as saying recruiting Afghans was part of a strategy to send poor foot soldiers to the battle front.
Gen. Hossein Hamedani, a senior Guards commander involved in planning war strategy in Syria, said last week that with God's help, Iran had trained an extra 130,000 soldiers ready for dispatch.
Thanks to the planning and wisdom of Iran's leaders, Syria's regime could enjoy "some stability," he said.
The 130,000 was an apparent reference to all the Shiite fighters including Iranians, Hizbullah, Afghans and other foreign fighters.
10 years
Sheep to the slaughter. Perpetuating the cycle of violence. Only ones really suffering are the civilians.
10 years
Oh come now FT, you can't be serious are you?
10 years
FT brother, if I was to take this post of yours alone, then one would be forgiven to believe that the other guy who was also as responsible for the Inter-Christian war, in this case generalissimo Aoun would be God's ambassador to Lebanon. FT ya habibi, to accuse one side alone and constantly so, yet ignoring and even going as far as defending the proscriptions of the other sides involved simply impairs the very reason why we should be here in this forum. I am sorry dear brother, but at times one cannot but react. Criticize? yes, and absolutely so but to ignore and defend a side that is as guilty if not more is also unacceptable. My frank view with all respects to you. FT
10 years
Well, now those that keep accusing the KSA, Qatar and the West of meddling in the Syrian now have some pretty serious dust to take care of on their front doors.
10 years
Are you really serious Crusher???
Hizb already admitted taking part in the war. Iran is already accepted to being the main sponsor.
Bro, don't hide your head in the sand here. Lets call a spade a spade. All sides are aiding their allies in this war!
10 years
I agree mowaten, it is so unlike HA to do that. I refuse to believe it, I simply do.
10 years
** Syrian War...**
10 years
FT... they pay 500$/month... you should seriously consider it...
10 years
thepatriot, FT has no time for this, his works here on Naharnet takes up all of his time. Besides they must pay him more than $500/month just in overtime although the currency they use is Ka3ek.
10 years
7aka badre
10 years
You won't get a better deal FT...it's... the opportunity of a lifetime for ya!
10 years
Wou nata2 danabeh
10 years
wouldn't be surprising... iran and hezbis would do anything to protect syria the protector of golan heights for israel....
10 years
@Crusher : Are you denying HA is involved in Syria ? Are you denying HA takes direct orders from Iran ?
I pity you ! Fool !
10 years
No need ? You know how many Hezbollah terrorist were annihilated ?
You know how many young Lebanese shiaa died for Bashar and Iran ? What a terrible waste for Lebanon ! Well over 1,000 youths were massacred for what ? To save Bachar ? Lebanon's greatest enemy of all time after his father !
10 years
mowaten aka crusher aka cityboy is the only credible and authorized news mouthpiece of HA. American Spy satellites and European Spy agencies don't count when it comes to HA. When all these agencies reported HA was fighting in Syria 2 years ago, you came on here and said the same thing. When the same agencies said the shia of Iraq are fighting in Syria, you came on here and denied it as well. When someone of zero credibility tries to discredit international news sources, I guess not much can be said.
10 years
Respects to farsis sending stupid shia arabs and afgans die for their interests. Mullahs rock...
10 years
not credible
10 years
It's true that people from Afghanistan and Iraq etc. are joining the battle against takfirism but they are volunteers, that Iran recruits them to reduce casualties? Those are pure lies, and there is no evidence behind these claims, the journal? Afghan refugees? Put some real proof on the articles next time.
Naharnet seems more and more pro Israeli/takfiri.
10 years
It's true that people from Afghanistan and Iraq etc. are joining the battle against takfirism but they are volunteers, that Iran recruits them to reduce casualties? Those are pure lies, and there is no evidence behind these claims, the journal? Afghan refugees? Put some real proof on the articles next time.
Naharnet seems more and more pro Israeli/takfiri.
10 years
@anonyme.. personally, I realize that we're standing too close to a hornet's nest that starts smelling really bad...
10 years
500$ per month? This is western propaganda. Syrian Armed Forces only recieve 40$ in the month. Fighters going into Syria on behalf of the Syrian people & the Government, does it voluntarily, they do not recieve any funds of any kind.
That Naharnet takes it sources from Americans and the Journal, are nothing more but pathetic, and a shame too.
10 years
I see people going to Syria all the time, on their own account. People go to Syria, to protect their family & peoples future, not for a few hundred dollars, this is false information, and there is no proof behind these claims.
10 years
No money is recieved by the Resistance duties, no fighter gets paid for his efforts. Everyone in the Resistance does it free of charge. This is a true fact, I know you don't like it. But that's the truth, and that's why they've been winning battles so far, there would be no morale combat readiness, if fighters got paid for it.
Which is another reason, why this article provides false information. I can agree with, the conflict is not going to end right now, it will continue for years to come. Efforts to topple Assad has all but failed.
The Al Qaeda are fighting themselves in devastating battles across takfiri held territories.
10 years
Takfiris are still massing the borders, and there is enough for them in the world to keep this war on for years to come.
10 years
they use the poor lads, refugees are easy preys...
10 years
What's the difference between FSA rebels calling for ''Sunni'' back up, while the regime does the same? calling for ''alawi'' and ''shiaa'' back up, stop your Takfiri nonsense, you're team isn't different AT ALL, from suicide bombings, to kidnappings, to assassination, to terror attacks, in Syria your having a taste of your own medicine.
10 years
haboub shia militia are sent and funded by Iran.
Sunni ones are not, except on almanar and mayadeen of course...
10 years
And you forgot about daraa kids who were tortured when there was not even a so called revolution, they just got exited from whats happening around them, and all the innocent that were killed when they were peacefully protesting, dont blame the worldwide sunni population from being moved and trying to do something, you are using the same excuses when it comes to bashar,alawi,holy places,shiaa to be able to recruit...both are using same propaganda
10 years
haboub showing everyday more and more his farsi side...
10 years
LF were manning their cannons with senegalese and srilankans when they were randomly bombing dbayeh
HAHAHA you've jumped the shark with this one fake FPMer but very imaginative you are, Dahieh was bombed by the LAF because HA and Amal were under Syrian mokhabarat orders to drive out the LAF from Beirut and Che7ar, the PSP, SSNP Communists and Mourabitoun were also in on the act.
10 years
ultrahabib aka karim aka full-disclosure you are too obvious habboub, lol.
10 years
Shiaism is not islam. It is like hinduism. Shiites are followers of shiism, not Islam.
10 years
Shiaism is about lying and worshiping others than God. You dont even tolerate the prophets (saw) wives and closest companions (ra). What tolerance are you talking about you polytheists?
10 years
There's nothing to disintegrate, your brainwashed by your media into thinking so, so you can claim ''victory''..
The muslim brotherhood are not salafi, infact the only islamic political party not banned is hezb al nour the Salafi, so stop delluding yourself, thinkin theres some salafi conspiracy that you guys won.
Second, and i want you to be realistic, how long, can you Hold 1.5 Billion sunni's worldwide ?? my guess is not long..
you people became too arrogant, this is what will bring you down, not the people not weapons.
10 years
Didnt the muslim brotherhood restore ties with iran after 30 years ??
your creating illusions that fit your perverted mentality
they should leave them fighting in Syria the higher the casualty the better it is..