Al-Monitor- Imagery of the decapitated body ofMohsen Hojjaji, a fighter from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) who was dispatched to Syria, surfaced on Iranian social media Aug.9. Earlier, theIslamic State(IS) had shared video of Hojjaji's captureon the Syrian-Iraqi border during a surprise attack that left a number of people dead. Iranian officials andsocial media users immediately sent their condolences to his parents and wife and vowed to cleanse the region of IS.
While it is often the more gruesome IS videos that goviral, it was Hojjajis picture the moment he was captured that took off. The picture is particularly haunting and looks likesomethingout of a film. Hojjaji, dressed in military fatigues, is held by an IS fighter with a knife in his hand. In the background, black smoke rises from the overtaken camp.
Many who saw it drew comparisons betweenthe expressionsof Hojjaji and his captor. Hojjaji, who likely knew hisdeath was imminent, seemsresigned to his fate. The IS fighter, with blood running down his cheeks, appears almost anxious. Zahra Abbasi, Hojjajis wife, told the Iranian press, Look into my husbands eyes. There isno fear in these eyes. It is all bravery, courage. He is like a mountain.