There have always been differences between Israel and Hamas in communicating the data of victims involved in Israeli attacks. In both cases, investigations were conducted to demonstrate that the numbers on both sides were true. Probably, as often happens, the truth lies in the middle.
One of the hypotheses for the divergence in numbers may lie in the high number of fighters not born in Gaza or the West Bank but of Palestinian origin. They emphasize that the most populated Palestinian refugee camps are in Jordan and Lebanon.
Via social media, it was learned starting from April 30, 2024 that training was underway in Syria for militias affiliated with Assad/Hezbollah ready to fight alongside Hezbollah. A statement reads: “A training course for Iranian personnel on military aviation and helicopters at the Shayrat military airport. Human military reinforcements consisting of 30 members, as described by an officer, from the ranks of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the Afghan militia of the Fatemiyoun Brigade, arrived last Friday at the air base inside the “Shayrat” military airport, in the eastern countryside of Homs, in preparation for the start of an intermediate pilot course in the presence of some Syrian and Iranian officers.”
“The intensive training course will continue for two consecutive months, with the aim of qualifying some non-commissioned officers and officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, in a phenomenon that is the first of its kind in airports belonging to the Syrian regime forces. Awaiting the arrival of the military group were Brigadier General Samer Al-Qatni, the airport’s chief of staff, and the head of the security office, Colonel Fayez Laila, who supervised the security of the main headquarters for the Iranian officers and experts accompanying the training, which is expected to begin its formation in early next May.”
The post continued: “As Iran seeks to impose its air dominance over the eastern countryside of Homs, thus ensuring the protection of its interests and experts present in the region – on the ground – in the framework of military and economic projects, after having succeeded in the last four years in seizing vast areas east and south of Homs that connect the borders of Iraq and the borders of Syria with Lebanon, a country whose strategic ally is the Hezbollah militia.”
In May 2024, Lebanese Hezbollah withdrew many of its groups from the axis of the 46th Regiment in the western Aleppo countryside and replaced them with groups from the Fatemiyoun and al-Baqir brigades, and the leadership of the axis remained with the soldiers of Lebanese Hezbollah. In a related context, more than 1,000 members of the Lebanese Hezbollah militia were withdrawn from various areas in the Idlib and Aleppo countryside and transferred to Qusayr in Homs and from there to southern Lebanon.
The aim was therefore to reinforce the front line in southern Lebanon without leaving the Syrian front exposed. And again on July 4, sources close to Syria wrote: “Thousands of additional Afghan fighters from the Fatemiyoun Brigade are arriving in Syria to reinforce, if necessary, the ranks of Hezbollah”. “According to local sources, it is already happening. After the announcement a few weeks ago, the Afghans have already started to keep their promise”. “Afghan brigades are being formed and are preparing for war with Israel in Syria. Then the Houthis will arrive, who have a huge mobilization potential: 2 million reserve soldiers”.
Also in the summer, it was learned that groups affiliated with Hezbollah’s Radwan unit (special units) arrived in one of the military barracks surrounding the village of Al-Sahiliyya, in the northern countryside of Daraa. The group is reinforced with anti-armor missiles and Iranian-made Ababil drones. The group is led by two leaders of the party, Hajj Nour El-Din Shaito and Hajj Abbas Salem, considered the most important among those responsible for managing the drones in the unit.
The Iraqi faction of the Imam Hussein Brigade also arrived and transferred 60 members with mortars, rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles from the town of Sayyida Zeinab in the Damascus countryside to Tal al-Zaatar, near the northern entrance to the city of Daraa.
The Imam Hussein Brigade rehabilitated fortifications, barriers and tunnels in Tal al-Zaatar and deployed medium and heavy machine guns on its outskirts. Hezbollah began building a special runway for military drones inside the headquarters of the 82nd Air Defense Brigade near Sheikh Maskin in the Daraa countryside. Hezbollah transferred drones from the military headquarters in the town of Al-Ghazlaniyah, in the Damascus countryside, at the headquarters of the 82nd Brigade. Iran has ordered the Afghan Fatemiyoun and Zainabiyoun brigades deployed in Syria to be on alert.
If you want to go back in time you can observe training in Palmyra that saw together the Russian Wagner militia – Iraqi and Lebanese Hezbollah militia – Afghan Fatemiyoun militia – Al-Baqir Brigade – Iraqi Al-Nujaba Movement and a large part of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Antonio Albanese e Graziella Giangiulio
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