IRGC General, Former Saberin Commander, Killed in Syria

Brig. Gen. Farshad Hosouni-Zadeh, former commander of Saberin, IRGC’s elite special forces brigade, was killed in Syria, Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency reported today. No further details were given.

On Monday, Colonel Hamid Mokhtarband, aka Abu Zahra, former commander of IRGC’s Hazrat Hojat brigade in Ahvaz, was also killed in Syria, Tasnim news agency reported today.

Last Thursday, the most senior IRGC officer in Syria, Gen. Hossein Hamedani, was killed near Aleppo. He was buried on Monday in his hometown of Hamedan.

Top photo: General Farshad Hosouni-Zadeh (r.) in an unidentified location in Syria (FNA)

Bottom photo: General Hamid Mokhtarband, second from left (Tasnim) 

Gen. Hamedani’s Funeral in Tehran

Thousands attended the funeral ceremony in Tehran for Gen. Hossein Hamedani, the most senior IRGC officer in Syria, who was killed on Thursday in northern outskirts of Aleppo. He will be buried in Hamedan, his hometown, on Monday.

For the past four years, the Quds Force has led a coalition of the Lebanese Hezbollah; the Syrian National Defense Force, a pro-government militia force which was set up under the command of Gen. Hamedani; and an assortment of foreign Shia militias, especially Afghans; in support of the Syrian army during the country’s civil war. The Assad’s regime, however, has lost strategic grounds in the past year, especially near the Alawi-dominated Latakia coast, prompting Russia's direct military intervention to stop the opposition advances.

Gen. Hamedani was reportedly killed in an area north of Aleppo where ISIL fighters are increasing their presence. Reports from Tehran say his convoy was ambushed by the insurgents.

Photo credit: The funeral ceremony for Gen. Hossein Hamedani, the commander of Quds Force in Syria, KIA on Thursday; Tehran, 11 October 2015 (AFP/Twitter)

Gen. Hamedani, Senior IRGC Commander in Syria, Is Killed Near Aleppo

Gen. Hossein Hamedani, the most senior IRGC commmander in Syria, was killed in action during the latest offensive against the opposition. Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency said on Friday, “Gen. Hamedani was martyred last night in the northern outskirts of Aleppo.”

Opposition forces in Aleppo have come under heavy bombardment by Russian fighter jets and cruise missiles in recent days while government forces have begun a new offensive to retake the territory around the city lost to the opposition. Gen. Hamedani was probably leading the pro-Assad ground forces when he was killed in action. 

Gen. Hamedani is one of the most senior Iranian military official killed in action in Syria. His loss is a major blow to the IRGC, the Quds Force and the pro-Syrian government coalition.

File photo: Gen. Hossein Hamedani, Commander of Iran’s Quds Force in Syria, KIA in Syria on 8 October 2015 (FNA)