29 Mar 2024
Thursday 5 May 2016 - 19:00
Story Code : 212636

Iran has no special units in Syria, only military advisers - Deputy FM

Iran is increasing the number of its military advisers in Syria.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) Iran has no special units inSyria apart frommilitary advisers who consult the Syrian army and allied militia onanti-terrorism fight, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told Sputnik.

"We don't have any militants and special units onthe Syrian territory. We used tosend military advisers fromthe Revolutionary Guards Corps there, uponthe Syrian government's request, those are our military advisers, our specialists who are experts infight againstterrorism," Amir-Abdollahian said, noting that some ofthem died inthe areas ofhostilities.
"Those who are fighting inSyria are the Syrian army and some volunteers, militia, Syrians who fight terrorism onthe territory ofthe country," he said.


Moreover, the country has started increasing the number ofmilitary advisers it sends toSyria amidstepped-up Syrian army operations.

"In accordance withthe increased Syrian army operations withRussian support, Iran has begun toincrease the amount ofmilitary advisers and experts it sends toSyria," Amir-Abdollahian said.

The Iranian advisers are set toremain inSyria untilthe Syrian government requests their departure and untilthe terrorist threat has been eliminated inSyria, he emphasized, adding that Iran began tosubstantially increase its group ofadvisers inSyria when Russia had launched its airstrikes againstterrorist targets inSeptember.

In October, less thana month afterRussia began its counter-terrorist aerial campaign inSyria atthe request ofthe Syrian government, Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran was boosting the number ofits military advisers inSyria inan effort tofight terrorism. The deputy minister also rejected claims that there was an Iranian ground force inSyria.

Syria has been mired incivil war since2011, withgovernment forces loyal toSyrian President Bashar Assad fighting numerous opposition factions and extremist groups, such asthe IS and Jabhat al-Nusra (Nusra Front), both ofwhich are outlawed inRussia.

By Sputnik
https://theiranproject.com/vdcjt8e8muqevmz.92fu.html
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