Reporting by Ammar Bakkour
(Zaman Al Wasl)- The Iranian regime sent a new group of mercenaries to the city of Aleppo to support the al-Assad forces in murdering the rebellious Syrian people fighting for their freedom. Informed sources confirmed to Zaman al-Wasl that 400 mercenaries, most of them Iraqi nationals, arrived at the al-Mulhib barracks situated next to the park between the al-Siryan al-Jadid and al-Ashrafieh neighborhoods during the past few days.
The source added that the Shiite sectarian mercenaries joined what is called the Fatemiyoun Brigade taking the fortified al-Mulhib barrack inside the city of Aleppo as their headquarters. Their ages range between 15 and 18, and among them are Afghan and Pakistani nationals.
Siryan al-Jadid neighborhood witnessed clashes between local mercenaries of the National Defense and the Popular Committees and the Fatemiyoun foreign militia two days after the newcomers’ arrival to the barracks.
According to local sources, the clashes resulted in the regime forces moving most of the mercenaries to the fighting fronts while keeping a small group subordinate to Tarik Nasret in the barracks and dedicating the al-Mulhib barracks completely to mercenaries coming from Iraq since it is far from the fighting fronts. Regime forces took control of al-Ashrafieh and Beni Zaid neighborhoods as well as the area of al-Liramon close to Castello Road since 3 months.
According to a local resident, reporting from the mercenaries at a checkpoint subordinate to Tarek Nasert, the regime commanders fear speaking to the Iranian militias and meet their demands without any objection or discussion. They expressed their discontent about many issues especially that the non-Syrian mercenaries receive 500 $ as a monthly salary whereas regime force personnel receive 30,000 Syrian Pounds (less than 60$) as a monthly salary. Local forces also complained that regime forces and local mercenaries are the front lines during battles to break into rebel controlled areas or neighborhoods while the Iranian militia fortifies itself in the rear lines of the battle, commanding the fighting, and preventing personnel from withdrawing due to rebel strikes.
Al-Mulhib barracks is a deserted military area from prior to the start of the revolution. It includes a series of buildings in a forested area and the buildings are high and fortified with an outer wall. The Free Syrian Army were able to enter it towards the end of 2012 when they arrived to the al-Rahman Mosque roundabout in al-Sabil neighborhood and they left it after days. The 16th Squad of the Free Syrian Army used to target the barracks with mortar rockets from Beni Zeid neighborhood during clashes with the regime forces.
It must be indicated that the military engineering academy in al-Hamdaniyet neighborhood at the entrance to Aleppo from the west is controlled by the Iraqi Harakat Hezbollaj al-Nujaba militia for 3 years. Recently the Fatemiyoun Brigade took control of the al-Mulhib barracks inside Aleppo city’s northern side.
An Iranian sponsored militia is present in al-Nairab military airport in the eastern side of Aleppo for the Iranian regime to strengthen it mercenary presence in Aleppo.
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