Iranian-backed groups build first Hussainiya in Syria’s Palmyra
PALMYRA, Syria (North Press) – On Tuesday, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC)-backed Iraqi Hezbollah started building the first Hussainiya (a congregation hall for Twelver Shia Muslim commemoration ceremonies) in al-Sukhnah in the eastern countryside of Homs, central Syria.
This took place in a time when Iran has sought to increase its influence in Syria through spreading Shiite phenomenon.
Following the location’s selection, the Iraqi Hezbollah and Liwa Fatemiyoun started planning to construct a Hussainiya in al-Sukhnah, while the logistical team started the implementation process.
The construction workshops, which contracted with the IRGC-backed groups, came from the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor and started building the Hussainiya.
“The workshops started to work in the western neighborhoods of the region of al-Sukhnah that was seized by Hezbollah in mid-February under the pretext that their owners were former opposition members,” Abdullah al-Zarriq, resident from the region, told North Press.
He pointed out that the workshops brought all the construction supplies in addition to generators to be used after sunset in order to work on a 24-hour basis.
“Building the Hussainiya would affect children in term of Shiite phenomenon, especially after opening it and holding rituals and seminars for the pro-Iranian groups,” Hussam al-Mekhlef said.
He added that the residents of al-Sukhnah have rejected such processes describing them as systematic change for the region to turn people into Shiite by establishing Hussainiyas and practicing rituals, raising people’s fears regarding their children to follow the groups and leave their education.
Al-Sukhnah is a strategic area for the IRGC-backed groups, since it connects between Deir ez-Zor, Damascus and Palmyra, as the groups try to impose their absolute control over it militarily and intellectually.
The area has eight headquarters for Liwa Fatemiyoun and Iraqi Hezbollah in addition to Liwa Zaynabiyoun, and there is an affiliation office for Iraqi Hezbollah in the region.