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Iran’s IRGC accelerating recruitment in Deir Zour, Syria: Expert

Ten years after the beginning of the Syrian revolution, Iran is increasing its recruitment drive in the eastern Syria region of Deir Zour, where it has been expanding its presence since 2017, residents and experts said.
Through its systematic outreach program, Iran has continued to strengthen its control over a region that has become its main gateway for Syria operations.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has been accelerating its recruitment efforts in parts of Deir ez-Zor, west of the Euphrates, said Daham Mounadi, a Deir Zour resident, speaking from Turkey.
“They are investing heavily in the region stretching, especially from Mayadin to Bou Kamal and attempting to create a new generation of highly ideologically driven fighters by exploiting people’s poverty and lack of opportunities,” he said.
The region’s high unemployment rate is pushing young Syrians to enroll in militias backed by the IRGC where they can earn attractive salaries, sometimes double that of a government employee, Mounadi explained.
Iran’s paramilitary network relies on both local and foreign militias.
Local militias include the Villages Army (Jaish al Qura), con¬sisting of more than 2,500 Arab fighters from the province’s villages.
“At the local level, these militias which count around 24 groups, such as the Bair Birgade, the Islamic Resistance or Hezbollah Syria are integrated into the Local Defense Forces,” underlined Syria expert Nawar Shaaban from thinktank Omran Dirasat.
Foreign militias include Lebanese Hezbollah, the Afghani Fatimiyeon and Pakistani Zainabion according to Omar Abu Layla, a Syrian expert who focuses on security and governance in northeast Syria.
Iran has set up as well several recruitment centers in Deir Zour, such Nour Sateh, alongside the Mehdi Scout center and The Iranian Popular Scout Committee. The Al-Shaddouhi Centre in al-Mayadeen, under the direct supervision of an Iranian known as al-Haj Ibrahim, is geared towards teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 who receive military training and religious lessons, according to the Diyaruna website.
Additionally, Iran has also sought to estab¬lish a network of loyal forces in the region by liaising with the heads of Deir ez Zor tribes, according to German Institute for Politics and Security.
“Recruitment and conversion
Iran has also sought to infiltrate the popular fabric of the people of Deir ez-Zor through some humanitarian and charitable organizations, namely the Jihad Al-Bina Organization, said Shaaban. In 2019, Hezbollah’s Jihad Al-Bina restored sixteen schools in Deir ez-Zor alone. It also periodically distributes food aid to civilians in an effort to gain loyalty from the local population, Shaaban noted.
Iran currently boasts several military bases in Syria, including on the western outskirts of the town of al Mayadin and in al-Bukamal. Over the past two years, Iranian and Iran-backed forces have taken position in the Imam Ali base south of Hamdan, The Talae Garrison, the T-2 energy station base, and Abu Kamal crossing bases, underlined Shaaban.
By increasing its recruitment in Deir Zour, Tehran is seek¬ing to maintain and reinforce the protection of its land corridor to connect the Syria Deir Zour region with Iraq’s Al Qaim region. This area is instrumental for the continuous passage of military and paramilitary forces across the Syrian-Iraqi border and onward to Lebanon.
source: Mona Alami
Image source: Reuters
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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