Because the starting of 2021, Iran has begun engaged on forming the Hashemiyoon military brigade in Syria, permitting solely Shiites to affix it. The newly shaped faction, which started working in mid-August, has joined the opposite pro-Iranian factions in Syria, together with Zainabiyoun Brigades, Fatemiyoun Brigade and al-Husseinoun Brigade.
The Hashemiyoon Brigade has engaged in navy operations in Syria, with places of work and websites spreading by way of the cities of al-Bukamal, al-Mayadin, Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa in japanese Syria. New places of work had been additionally opened in Aleppo and the countryside of Damascus.
The brigade is instantly affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and is led by Youssef al-Hamdan, generally known as Abu Issa al-Mashhadani, and Musa al-Mahdmoud — each of whom are near Tehran.
In August, the brigade was ordered to persuade tribal sheikhs, mukhtars, clerics and different influential dignitaries and figures in east Syria to affix the so-called Euphrates Valley Tribes and Clans Council affiliated with Iran, with the purpose of spreading Shiism within the space.
Those that agree to affix the council could be granted a doc certifying that they’re from the descendants of the Hashemites (descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) and the Husseini House (in reference to Hussein Ibn Ali, the son of Ali, cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, and Fatima, the daughter of the Prophet Muhammad). They’d additionally obtain political, navy and media help, and funds to open new headquarters for the recruitment and coaching of center and highschool college students, along with organizing faculty journeys to Iranian universities within the metropolis of Qom.
A sheikh of the Bakara tribe in Deir ez-Zor informed Al-Monitor on situation of anonymity, “All of the members of the Hashemiyoon Brigade are tribesmen from the world, particularly from Deir ez-Zor. The brigade is estimated to have round 200 members to date.”
The brigade has confiscated many houses in al-Bukamal and different cities and villages within the Euphrates space, turning them into websites for brand new recruits, in response to the sheikh.
Al-Rahba Citadel within the metropolis of al-Mayadin was additionally become a weapons depot to guard arms from airstrikes, he mentioned, noting that the citadel additionally serves as a navy website for the Iranian leaders of the brigade.
The Hashemiyoon Brigade’s important mission is to recruit tribesmen and forcibly convert the inhabitants into Shiism, by bribing influential tribal leaders, the supply mentioned.
“Tehran is properly conscious of the tribes’ affect on this a part of Syria, as they’re the unique inhabitants with the biggest inhabitants density — one thing that might assist unfold Shiism throughout the Syrian communities. Additionally, Iran [resorted to tribes] because it might not cowl all battlefronts given the continued losses and the desertion of dozens of fighters,” he famous.
He mentioned, “Conferences are ongoing between tribal dignitaries within the space and Iranian leaders to recruit tribesmen into the ranks of the brand new brigade and canopy battlefronts towards Islamic State cells, Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] and the armed opposition factions.”
The supply added, “However these efforts to recruit tribesmen won’t succeed as we [the Bakara tribe] will look forward to the appropriate alternative to remove tribal leaders who’re loyal to Iran and who misplaced affect amongst tribesmen. Iran has been in search of to make use of these chiefs to serve its personal pursuits, after having sidelined the opponent tribal leaders.”
He continued, “Iran is ensuring that the newly shaped brigade is made up of tribesmen, since tribes are unfold in Iraq and Syria, which might assist Tehran management and unfold its affect sooner within the [Euphrates] space.”
Mudar Hammad al-Assaad, spokesman for the Syrian Tribes and Clans Council, informed Al-Monitor, “Iran has been utilizing the Arab tribes to recruit their youths to battle alongside Iranian forces and to achieve their allegiance by providing them navy and financial help amongst different advantages. Iran has additionally appointed many as sheikhs in a bid to undercut the function of tribes, lots of whom have joined the political opposition.”
He mentioned, “Tehran is making an attempt to unfold the message that the tribes’ fighters combating with the armed opposition forces don’t characterize the clans. Many tribes help the Syrian regime and Iran, which deepens the hole between the members of the identical clan.”
Assaad famous, “Amid the deteriorating financial and safety state of affairs, the world’s youth search to affix Iranian-affiliated militias in a bid to flee arrests from the Syrian regime and get some cash. The Hashemiyoon Brigade’s leaders additionally provide some incentives — such because the authority to conduct authorized issues and transactions in authorities departments — to lure within the youth, which is Iran’s tactic in recruiting individuals within the space.”
He added, “Over the previous few weeks, a bunch of tribal sheikhs have intensified their requires recruitment. Iran is in search of to have tribesmen be a part of its ranks as a result of hiring overseas fighters is far more costly.”
In keeping with Al-Khabour network protecting information within the japanese Euphrates, Iran has failed to manage the east of the Euphrates militarily and is now engaged on controlling it by way of the help of native leaders loyal to Tehran, and the formation of tribal councils in addition to the appointment of recent sheikhs from smaller tribes and households belonging to Ahl al-Bayt (referring to the prolonged household of the Prophet Muhammad), in a bid to unfold Shiism within the space.
Non-public sources cited by Al-Khabour mentioned that Iran introduced its help for the Bani Saba clan to carry a convention Oct. 13 within the SDF-controlled Qamishli space with the intention to break up from the Tay tribe, one of many largest tribes in Syria that has no affiliation to any occasion.
The identical sources reported that Iran had granted funds for the Bani Saba dignitaries to be distributed to the households of the Tay tribe in Qamishli, in a bid to achieve their loyalty and allegiance.
Anas Shawakh, researcher on the Jusoor Center for Studies, informed Al-Monitor, “The Hashemiyoon Brigade goals to sow discord inside Arab tribes and to affiliate them with Iran, Ahl al-Bayt and the Hashemites. The brigade managed to create cracks within the Tay tribe, after the Bani Saba clan introduced it was splitting from it to change into impartial.”
He mentioned, “These defected tribes and clans might want to be a part of navy factions, which is why the brigade was shaped, to embrace all of them. With this transfer, Russia would not be capable of expel Iran from the world, as a result of Tehran has managed to deeply infiltrate throughout the space’s social material, attaining its desired aim.”
