Iranian-backed forces massing around Deir Ezzor city
Around 300 “Iranian-backed” fighters have arrived in the city of al-Bukamal in the southern countryside of Syria’s Deir Ezzor, the Deir Ezzor 24 blog reported on December 12 citing a local source.
According to the source, the troops replaced a large force of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), that withdrew from al-Bukamal over the last few days.
The source claimed that the fighters belong to a group named Army of the Imam al-Hajjah. Most of the group’s fighters are allegedly foreigners, likely from Iraq or Afghanistan.
“The most important positions, which were occupied by the new group in the city of al-Bukamal, are posts and headquarters on Corniche street, military points near Manhal Al-Maa and some farms that overlook the Euphrates River,” the source said.
Earlier this month, many sources claimed that mysterious airstrikes targeted Iranian forces near al-Bukamal. However, these claims were never verified by any independent source.
Recent Israeli and U.S. reports allege that the IRGC is building a large base southeast of al-Bukamal, a few kilometers away from the border with Iraq.
