By Qays al-Abdullah
HASAKAH, Syria (North Press) – Despite the clear conflict of interest between Russia and Iran, the main supporters of the Syrian government during the Syrian crisis, the nature of the struggle in Northeast Syria has taken a different turn.
The conflict between Russian forces and the Iranian-backed militias revolves around the control of government security branches, gaining the loyalty of tribes, and forming militias to execute their plots in the region, besides targeting bases of the U.S.-led Global Coalition to Defeat Islamic State (ISIS) in north and east Syria.
Race to dominate security branches
Iran and Russia are striving to strengthen their control in Hasakah Governorate and the city of Qamishli in Northeast Syria through the government forces and the attraction of the tribal leaders.
Russia has controlled the Military Security Branch, affiliated with the government forces, and a group called, Ansar al-Amn al-Askari (followers of the military security), which is directly supported and run by Russia.
A source in the government told North Press that Iran has controlled the National Defense Forces (NDF) and State Security Branch, affiliated with the government forces, and their supporters, besides creating other armed groups from tribal members to expand and strengthen their influence in the region.
Iran has recently done its best to control significant posts like the government-held neighborhood in Hasakah and deepened ties in the region via the NDF. It also secured an important strategic point near the main Russian military base in northeastern Syria, the Qamishli International Airport, as it has a strong presence in the neighborhood of Tartab, south of Qamishli, and the area between Zouri Roundabout and the villages of Hamo and Qusair, where Iran has established military training centers and positioned its members.
Tribal mobilization runs by Iran
Iran has been working to attract tribal and clan leaders in Syria’s northeast to form military forces similar to that of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) in Iraq. One of the strongest steps was the attempt to form forces from tribal years ago, led by a person named Ali Hawas al-Kheleif, a member of the Arabic Tayy tribe.
The PMF is an Iraqi state-sponsored umbrella organization composed of approximately 67 different armed factions, with around 128,000 militants, mostly of the Shia Muslim community.
A member of the Tayy tribe from the countryside of Qamishli, who preferred to remain anonymous for security reasons, told North Press that Ali Hawas al-Kheleif was supported by Iran and funded to create a tribal force, but it failed due to the objection of some tribal leaders who did not want al-Kheleif to emerge as a leader over them in front of Iran and the Syrian government.
Over the past years, Iran has invited a number of tribal leaders from northeastern Syria to visit Tehran. Several visits took place, and they met with top-ranking military and political Iranian leaders. The government source mentioned that members of the delegation once included individuals from the Tayy tribe, Sharabiyin tribe, the Harb clan, and the Ma’amra tribe.
The real reason for the visit remains unknown, but it is believed to be related to Iran’s presence in northeastern Syria and forming a force to rival Russia on the ground under its command, planning to target American bases and patrols.
Influence of Moscow over strategic posts
Russia controls the most strategic and vital point in Qamishli and the northeastern Syria, like Qamishli International Airport. This allows Russia to monitor all activities of Iran, its factions, and the Syrian government in Hasakah and Qamishli, being the gateway and outlet for both parties.
The number of Russian soldiers at the airport is unknown, but sources within the Qamishli International Airport mentioned that the number is in the hundreds.
During the battle in the Tayy neighborhood in Qamishli between the Internal Security Forces of North and East Syria (Asayish) and the NDF in April 2022, Russia played a mediating role between the parties. Qamishli International Airport hosted several meetings, which eventually led to the withdrawal of the NDF from the neighborhood.
With the emergence of Russia’s role in the region, Iran assigned the task of expanding in Hasakah to the Lebanese Hezbollah to avoid further complexities in the region, especially with the presence of significant international forces such as the U.S. and Russian forces stationed at the Qamishli International Airport, according to the source.
Hezbollah expansion
Lebanese Haj Mehdi, a leader in Hezbollah at the time, embarked on the duty of expanding the Iranian influence in the region. Haj Mehdi worked on supporting and restricting the NDF and Ba’ath Battalions under the name Operation Forces, whose covert role emerged in the clashes that took place in the government-controlled Tayy neighborhood in Qamishli.
In 2022, Hezbollah opened a recruiting office called the Recruitment Office, located in middle of the government-held neighborhood in the city of Hasakah, near the Ba’ath Party and Military Security Branches. The office is managed by Haj Raed Khalaf, commander of the Ba’ath Battalions, and it is directly run by the Lebanese Haj Mehdi.
The office’s duty is to recruit young men from Arab tribes, transporting them, and conducting trainings for them at Tartab neighborhood or in the Dimas in Rif Dimashq Governorate, southwest of Damascus or in Lebanon.
Bothering international actors
A former member of the NDF and a current member of the forces established by Iran told North Press that “Iran directs us, as we are the villagers living under the government’s control in the southern countryside of Qamishli, to obstruct American patrols, throw stones at them, and film these actions to portray them popular responses.”
Ahmad, who refused to reveal his surname, said that “we do not like Iran, but they were in the NDF and now we are all wanted by the SDF for their affiliation.”
“We cannot enter their areas, so we are forced to work with the Iranian-backed militias for a very meager salary to make a living,” he added.
Ahmad pointed that they are deployed to across 30 villages in the south of Qamishli, with their stronghold being in the village of Tartab, where training and the leadership of the Iranian-backed militias are located, and most of the leadership posts are stationed between the villages of Dabbanah to the roundabout on the M4 Highway.
Ahmad indicated that Russia is annoyed by the Iranian presence in those areas and that they are at odds with the Military Security Branch because their full funding comes from Russia, unlike other branches with whom they have good relations.