Opposition counteroffensive stalls against Iran-backed forces, SW Aleppo

Iran-backed Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah T-72 type main battle tank, SW Aleppo front. Social media imagery emerging 24NOV15

According to Leith Fadel at Al-Masdar News, dated 26NOV15:

The Islamist rebels from the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, Harakat Nouriddeen Al-Zinki, Jaysh Al-Islam, and Liwaa Suqour Al-Sham launched a large-scale offensive in southern Aleppo earlier this week, targeting the Syrian Arab Army’s frontline defenses at the multiple hilltops that surround the

Over the past 6 days in southern Aleppo, the Islamist rebels from Jabhat Al-Nusra, Harakat Ahrar Al-Sham, and Harakat Nouriddeen Al-Zinki have repeatedly tried to bypass the Syrian Armed Forces’ frontline defenses at the imperative village of Banes and Kafr Haddad; this powerful assault from the Islamist rebel factions has resulted in the capture of Kafr Haddad’s southern Sector, despite the Islamist rebels declaring this village as “liberated”.

With the ongoing firefights near Banes and Kafr Haddad, the Islamist rebels attempted to take advantage of the Syrian Arab Army’s brief hiatus from the battlefield in order to allow their soldiers to take leave for a few days before going back to battle.

According to a battlefield journalist that is embedded with the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Mechanized Division in southern Aleppo, the Islamist rebels have been unable to make any significant progress in the last 72 hours after failing to take Banes from the soldiers entrenched in this village.

The Islamist rebel offensive has proved to be rather unsuccessful thus far as several of their combatants have been reportedly killed by the Syrian Armed Forces.

COMMENTARY: Opposition forces committed not inconsiderable forces in launching this counteroffensive. While sections of theIRGC-QF line appeared to buckle, no opposition breakthrough appears to have been achieved.

What's more, with R+5 (Russia, Syria, Iran, Lebanese Hezbullah, Iraqi PMF and Syrian NDF) forces attacking at multiple axes and with the opposition committing much needed military resources to this now stalled counteroffensive, attritional losses at the Aleppo front as well as multiple stress points being applied may now be stretching opposition force resources as never before.

Iran-backed Iraqi Kataib Hezbollah T-72 type main battle tank movement through countryside village, SW Aleppo front. Social media imagery emerging 24NOV15.

Iran-backed Hezbollah force member equipped with Iran-manufactured AM50 anti-materiel sniper rifle, SW Aleppo front. Social media imagery emerging 24NOV15.

Iran-backed Hezbollah force member equipped with SPG-9 Kopye (“Spear”) recoilless gun, SW Aleppo front. Social media imagery emerging 24NOV15.

Claims and counter-claims of IRGC-QF Commander WIA on the Aleppo front

Above: imagery appearing 21NOV15 depicting IRGC-QF Commander Maj. Gen. Soleimani on the Aleppo front inside Syria

According to Agence France-Presse, dated 25NOV15:

General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations wing, was lightly injured in fighting against Syria rebels near Aleppo, a monitoring group and a security source said Wednesday.

Soleimani "was injured a few days ago" in an offensive in the southwest of Aleppo province, a security source on the ground told AFP.

The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based monitor of the war, also said the general had been hurt.

He was "lightly injured three days ago in the Al-Eis area in the south of Aleppo province," Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.

COMMENTARY: Reports of the death or severe wounding of IRGC-QF Maj. Gen. Soleimani have been circulating since at least 15NOV15, initially claimed by the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria, JAN.

Above report offers further claim of "lightly wounded" by unnamed "security source" and Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). SOHR is a pro-revolution organization.

Iranian sources continue to deny the WIA of Soleimani, the most recent observed 24NOV15 from IRGC Brig. Gen. 2C Ramezan Sharif, in an article published at Sepah News, the official IRGC media site. In the article, Sharif, who is IRGC Director of Public Relations states that Soleimani is “completely healthy” and is “energetically” and “cheerfully” assisting the "resistance fighters in Iraq and Syria."

Map depiction of Al-Eis area, where it is claimed Soleimani was "lightly wounded." This 15NOV15 military situation graphic depicts Al-Eis in relation to drive to IRGC-QF directed drive towards relieving besieged Shia enclaves of Al-Fu'ah and Kafarya, an objective still not realized.

IRGC & Fatimiyoun Brigade KIAs, Operation Muharram near Aleppo

Funeral held in Qarchak, Tehran province on 23NOV15 for Afghan Fatimiyoun Brigade member Ahmad Rahimi, KIA in during recent IRGC-QF directed operation in Syrian conflict. [source: ABNA]

Mourners and twos people paying their respects for Ahmad Rahimi, fallen member of Afghan Fatimiyoun Brigade. This reportedly the fifth soldier from Qarchak lost in the Syrian conflict.

IRGC 2nd Lt. 2nd Lieutenant Ahmad Rahimi has been listed as KIA during "Operation Muharram-Grand Revenge," the IRGC-QF directed offensive in the southern Aleppo countryside. [source: Ghatreh]

The IRGC-QF directed offensive takes its name from the month of Muharram, which to the Shia is a month of mourning (on its tenth day, the Ashura, Shi'ites commemorate the martyrdom of Hussein bin Ali in the Battle of Karbala).

The Al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front last week claimed the KIA of IRGC-QF Commander Maj. Gen. Soleimani. However the claim has turned out to be false, with a number of photos turning up since of the commander continuing to serve in role of military liaison, including above depiction near Aleppo emerging 21NOV15 on social media.

VEVAK claims arrest of two terror cells at Iranian border provinces

IEDs said by VEVAK discovered in Iran's southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan

According to PressTV, dated 21NOV15:

Iranian security forces have disbanded two terror cells, which were planning to carry out bomb attacks, in two provinces, Iran’s Intelligence Ministry [VEVAK] says.

Officials at the ministry said on Saturday that one of the terrorist groups was busted in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan.

The terrorists were planning to blow up over 150 kilograms of explosives in the form of ten bombs on the eastern Iranian border region.

Authorities added that another cell connected to groups hostile to the Islamic Republic, which had entered the country to commit acts of terror, was also smashed in West Azerbaijan Province.

Security forces also discovered and confiscated a large number of weapons and ammunition from the terror cell.

COMMENTARY: On 22NOV15 IRGC Commander Maj. Gen. Mohammad Ali Jafari claimed the Salafi Jihadist terror cell arrested in West Azerbaijan Province have been linked to ISIL.

Quoted by the ISNA, the IRGC commander stated Iranian security forces were monitoring attempts by militants to "create insecurity" in Iran.

"IS has multi-layered support networks. One such network was [also] identified in Kermanshah province (in western Iran) and its members were arrested," Jafari told Iranian media reporters.

Imagery detailing IEDs planted alongside the Rāsk-Iranshahr section of Iran's Road 99

Detail of IED's, among ten discovered in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan

IRGC members at site of diffused IEDs discovered in the southeastern province of Sistan and Baluchestan

Photos: YJC.ir

IRGC Officers Killed in Syria - UPDATE

UPDATE: Fars News Agency announced on Monday that three more Iranian servicemen were killed in action in Syria. With the latest casualties, the number of Iranian KIAs in Syria rises to 57 since 7 October, when a major Iran-led offensive began south of Aleppo. The table below, compiled by IranPolitics, lists the KIAs, their ranks and units if available, and dates of the announcements.

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Four IRGC officers and servicemen were killed near Aleppo in Syria in the past 48 hours. The KIAs include IRGC officer Masoud Asghari and IRGC's Fatehin Special Forces officer Ahmad Aatai. Also among the KIAs was IRGC serviceman Mostafa Mousavi, who at the age of 20 became the youngest Iranian soldier killed in action in Syria.

Top photo: The funeral of IRGC officer Masoud Asghari (Erfan Kouchari/Tasnim)
Bottom photos: Posters announcing KIAs Ahmad Aatai and the young Mostafa Mousavi
Source: Twitter/@HosseinDalirian (Tasnim)

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              Date                     Name                  Rank                       Unit                      Source
1. 7th October Hossein Hamedani   Brigadier General           -                          Fars
2. 13th October Farshad Hasounizadeh Colonel                  Saberin              Tabnak
3. 13th October Hamid Mokhtarband Colonel           1st ‘Hazrat Hojjat’ Bde        Tabnak
4. 14th October Rasoul Pourmorad                              Basij (Qazvin)              Defapress
5. 17th October Moslem Khizab         Colonel         14th Imam Hossein      Defapress
6. 18th October Nader Hamidi                                            Basij                          Tasnim
7. 19th October Majid Sanei                                  161st Imam Hossein       Fars
8. 19th October Mehdi Karami                            154th ‘Hazrate Ali Akbar’       Fars
9. 20th October Mehdi Alidoust                       17th ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib’       Abna
10. 20th October Komeil Ghorbani  1st Lieutenant     8th ‘Najaf Ashraf’ Armor         Najafabad 
11. 20th October Hassan Ahmadi 2nd Lieutenan     8th ‘Najaf Ashraf’ Armor         Najafabad 
12. 21st October Reza Damroudi                              Basij (Sabzevar)               Defapress
13. 22nd October Mohammad Estekami Jahromi 33rd airborne ‘al-Mahdi’      Defapress
14. 22nd October Hadi Shojaei                                  Basij (Chahardangeh)       Tehran News
15. 23rd October Abdollah Bagheri                            ’Ansar al-Mahdi’              Fars
16. 23rd October Amin Karimi                                      ’Ansar al-Mahdi’              Fars
17. 24th October Reza Khavari                                    Fatemiyoun division        Fars
18. 24th October Mostafa Sadrzadeh                            Fatemiyoun division        Fars
19. 24th October Seyyed Milad Mostafavi                     Basij (Hamedan)                Fars
20. 24th October Mohammad Zahiri   3rd Lieutenant        Saberin special forces     Abna
21. 25th October Seyyed Ruhollah Emadi                                                                  Fars
22. 25th October Sajad Taherniya                                Basij (Gilan)                Tnews
23. 26th October Hamidreza Daei 2nd Lieutenan       8th 'Najaf Ashraf' Armor         Najafabad
24. 26th October Pouya Izadi         2nd Lieutenant      8th 'Najaf Ashraf' Armor         Najafabad 
25. 27th October Jabar Araghi                                                                             Defapress
26. 27th October Abuzar Amjadian        Captain                                                  Abna
27. 27th October Mohammad-reza Asgari                                                                   Fars
28. 27th October Moslem Nasr         2nd Lieutenant 33rd Airborne 'al-Mahdi'   Fars
29. 28th October Mehdi Kaeini                       Fars
30. 28th October Hojjat Asghari Sharbiani                              Basij (Sarab)                  Dana
31. 29th October Hossein Jamali 3rd Lieutenant                        Saberin                  Fasaei
32. 31st October Mohammad Hossein Mirdousti 'Mohammad Rasoulollah'         Abna
33. 2nd November Hamid Fatemi                                          Basij (Khuzestan)           Fars
34. 2nd November Seyed Sajad Hosseini Captain                                                     Fars
35. 2nd November Ezzatollah Soleimani Colonel          44th 'Ghamar Bani Hashem'    Fars
36. 2nd November Ali Hosseini Alemi                                       Fatemiyoun           Fars
37. 3rd November Ismael Zahedpour                                    Basij (Kordkuy)           IRNA
38. 4th November Mohsen Fanousi                           43rd 'Imam Ali' engineering   Tnews
39. 5th November Ghadir Sarlak                                    'Mohammad Rasoulollah'   Fars
40. 5th November Ruhollah Ghorbani                                             Basij                   Fars
41. 5th November Ali Karimi                                                                                     YJC
42. 6th November Amir Ali Hoveidi                                                                             Tnews
43. 7th November Mousa Jamshidian           Major         8th 'Najaf Ashraf' Armor           Najafabad 
44. 7th November Mohammad Hossein Mohammadkhani                                             Tasnim
45. 7th November Mohammad Hossein Azizabadi                                                     Defapress
46. 8th November Seyyed Ismael Siratniya                    'Mohammad Rasoulollah'        Defapress
47. 8th November Meysam Modvari                                                                                   Fars
48. 8th November Hojatoleslam Ali Tamamzadeh Cleric                                      Defapress
49. 8th November Hamid Namdari                                                                             Tnews
50. 9th November Mohammad Tahan           Major        12th 'Mohammed al-Ghaem'   Basij News
51. 14th November Masoud Asgari                                       Basij                   Defapress
52. 14th November Ahmad Ataei                                               Basij                   Defapress
53. 14th November Mohammadreza Dehghan                                                      YJC
54. 14th November Seyyed Mostafa Mousavi                                                            YJC
55. 15th November Iman Khazaeinejad    1st Lieutenant                                      Fars
56. 16th November Mohammad Sokhandan                                                              Fars
57. 16th November Mohammad Javad Ghorbani              Basij (Shahinshahr)    Fars

Soleimani among Iran-equipped Iraqi fighting forces during Syrian offensive

IRGC-QF Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani addressing Iran-backed Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba fighting force members; claimed depiction in the southern Aleppo countryside appearing 13NOV15 on social media.

According to Leith Fadel at Al-Masdar News, dated 14NOV15:

The Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Mechanized Division and Hezbollah began their long journey to Aleppo Governorate from the Syrian resort-city of Al-Zabadani in early September, marking the first time that the Lebanese Resistance has committed such a large force to a front so far away from the Lebanese border.

However, Hezbollah’s participation in the southern Aleppo offensive has played a pivotal role in the pro-government forces’ success as they have led the charge on the Islamist rebel defenses, killing several enemy combatants and capturing several villages in the process.

Over the last 72 hours, the Syrian Arab Army’s 4th Mechanized Division – in coordination with Hezbollah, the National Defense Forces (NDF) of Aleppo City, the Al-Ba’ath Battalions, Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary), Kataeb Hezbollah (Iraqi paramilitary), and Firqa Fatayyemoun (Iranian/Afghani paramilitary) – have captured the strategic towns of Al-Hadher and Tal Al-‘Eiss, paving the way for their forces to approach the Damascus-Aleppo Highway from the eastern flank.

Map depiction dated 14NOV15 detailing roughly 500 km2 area recaptured during IRGC-QF directed offensive SW of Aleppo.  [source: Al-Masdar News]

There are also reports IRGC-QF directed offensive has advanced to M5 highway, as depicted in this 14NOV15 situation map  [source: Peto Lucem]

Sheikh Akram Al-Kaabi, Secretary General of Iran-backed Iraqi Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (HHN), conducting Friday prayers with HHN fighting force members. Photo claimed depiction 13NOV15 in the Aleppo southern countryside.

Iran-backed Iraqi HHN fighting force member equipped with Iranian-manufactured Toofan ("Typhoon') ATGM, claimed depiction 13NOV15 in the Aleppo southern countryside.

Iran-backed Iraqi HHN fighting force member equipped with Iranian-manufactured AM50 anti-materiel sniper rifle, claimed depiction 13NOV15 in the Aleppo southern countryside.

Iran-backed Iraqi HHN fighting force light infantryman, claimed depiction 13NOV15 in the Aleppo southern countryside

Iran-backed Iraqi HHN fighting force light infantryman, claimed depiction 13NOV15 in the Aleppo southern countryside

Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah (LH) fighting force member equipped with Croatian HS Produkt VHS assault rifle. Note sleeve patch bearing likeness of LH Secretary General Sayyid Hassan Nasrallah, as well as button bearing likeness of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

IRGC Commander on Russia

“Our comrade in the north who has come to Syria now and is giving out military aid is actually seeking to secure its own interests, and probably is not after keeping Assad in power.” – IRGC Commander Gen. Aziz Jafari (Sharq, 3 November)

Photo: Iran’s Sharq newspaper headlining Gen. Jafari’s quotation. URL:http://sharghdaily.ir/News/77591 (Farsi)

October: Deadliest Month for Iranian Military in Syria

On Saturday, it was reported that IRGC serviceman Mohammad Hossein Mirdusti was killed in Syria. The latest report brings the number of known IRGC KIAs in Syria in the month of October to 32, including three general officers and three full colonels. (Twitter/@dudi_cohen)

Photo credit: Poster at the funeral of IRGC soldier Mohammad Hossein Mirdusti (Twitter/@dudi_cohen)

Two More IRGC Servicemen Killed in Syria - UPDATES

Iranian media reported on Sunday that two more IRGC officers, Sajjad Tahernia and Ruhollah Emadi, were killed near Aleppo in Syria on Friday. No ranks were given. Since the deployment of some 2,000 IRGC Ground Force troops to Syria earlier this month, and the start of Iran-led campaign to retake Aleppo, 19 IRGC servicemen have been killed in action, by far the biggest monthly causalities in the Syrian civil war, which is now in its fifth year.

UPDATE: Two more IRGC/Basij servicemen, Poya Izadi and Hamidreza Taghi, were killed in Syria on Monday, bringing the total number of KIAs in the past two weeks to 21.

UPDATE: A Twitter post today has published the names and affiliations of known Iranian KIAs in Syria, with references to the Iranian new sources announcing their deaths. Based on the list, with the two killed today, there are actually 24 servicemen killed in action since 7 October. (Twitter/@Shiapulse, 26 October)