Increase in number of Iranian officers killed in Syria

The number of senior Iranian army officers killed in Syria has increased, with three generals lost within three days of each other this week, Anadolu has reported. The Iranian deaths are in addition to the killing of two prominent field commanders of Lebanon’s Hezbollah since last weekend. The reports have been confirmed by official and semi-official Iranian media outlets.

Among the Iranians killed was Brigadier General Hossein Hamedani, in Aleppo on 9 October. He was the deputy to Qassem Soleimani, the Quds Force commander in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Quds Force conducts military intelligence and militia operations outside Iran.

Media reports from outlets close to the corps claim that Hamedani was killed by Daesh fighters, although neither Daesh nor any other Syrian faction has claimed responsibility, which is unusual given his seniority. This has led to rumours that the Iranian commander might have fallen victim to internal politics and paid the ultimate price. Earlier reports issued shortly before Hamedani’s death suggested that Soleimani was intending to sack his deputy.

The other two Revolutionary Guard officers to be killed this week were named as Hamid Mokhtarband and Brigadier General Farshad Hassounizadeh.

The Lebanese Hezbollah movement also named their two officers who were killed at the weekend as Hussein Al-Hajj and Mohamed Mostafa Hejeej. It is known that Al-Hajj was the second most senior officer in Syria for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

According to Iranian sources, eight of the country’s generals have been killed in Syria since February 2013, including those who were lost in the past three days.