DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Wa’il (a pseudonym), a reservist recruit in the Syrian government forces who was sent five years ago to fight in ranks of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Palmyra, was surprised at the request of his Iranian commander of the military post where he serves to fill a form including his approval of fighting outside Syria if necessary.
The commander called a meeting of all Syrian militias under his command and demanded they fill out a form and answer accurately all the included questions, Wa’il, a father of three, told North Press.
One of the main questions aimed to force the Syrian recruits to pledge either during their service or after demobilization that they will comply with orders to fight inside or outside Syria in the event that they asked to do so.
Forcibly signing
“We have no options; ten other Syrian recruits and I were forced to sign the pledge, which stipulates our readiness to fight with IRGC inside and outside Syria under the penalty of salary deprivation,” Wa’il said.
Iran has recruited dozens of Syrians in the ranks of the primarily Afghan-populated Liwa Fatemiyoun and sent them to fight alongside the Houthis in Yemen; Iran denied reports of this at the time.
Meanwhile, reports released by the Arabic Post website revealed the increasing recruitment of Syrians to fight in Yemen, either by force or by attracting them voluntarily to the IRGC in order to fight alongside the Houthis.
Iranian-backed militias in government held areas in the governorate of Homs, including Palmyra, as-Sukhnah, and al-Mukharram, are witnessing a great turnout by Syrians who want to volunteer with Liwa Fatemiyoun in exchange for monthly wages of 125 US dollars, provided they work with IRGC inside and outside the country.
However, this is the first time in which non-volunteers (recruits and non-commissioned officers screened by the Syrian Army to serve in Iranian militias) have been forced to sign a pledge to fight inside and outside the country.
Although the Iranian Embassy in Ankara denied reports that Iran transferred forces from Syria to Yemen, considering them “evidence of ignorance regarding the field facts,” this new development reflects the Iranian intention to form Syrian groups of mercenaries to be sent to battle in its wars, according to the source.
“This false allegation contradicts the path of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the catastrophic and inhumane war against the Yemeni people,” the Iranian Embassy tweeted at the time in response to the reports, which accused it of recruiting and sending Syrian mercenaries to Yemen.
Religious and sectarian divisions
Documents that recruits are forced to sign include detailed questions about the recruit and his family and relatives, similar to those approved by Syrian intelligence branches which Syrians have become accustomed to when searching for a government job or undergoing a security review, Wa’il said.
The new development, however, is that they force the recruit to reveal his religion and sect. “We never had such a question before and this angers the recruits, who have never before had to disclose their sectarian affiliations in such a rude manner,” according to the reservist.
After being obliged to sign the pledge document, Wa’il and some of his comrades contacted their Syrian commanders who commanded them before they were screened to fight in the ranks of the Iranian militias, denouncing the pledge to fight outside the country and the sectarian questions.
Ignored by command
“We asked them for clarification and a clear position regarding these measures, but the military commander responded that Syrian Army command has nothing to do with the Iranian measures and that they cannot intervene to prevent Iranians from implementing the measures they want. Iranians are operating independently from the Syrian military command,” Wa’il cited the commander as saying.
As many others who fight under IRGC command, Wa’il stresses that he cannot accept the possibility he may have to fight outside the country.
“Let them force me if they can…demobilization is the most important thing, and then every dog has its day,” he said angrily.
Iran continues to recruit Syrian fighters within Iranian-backed factions following a motivating policy by providing many offers and exploiting living and economic conditions that Syria is going through.
Iran pays wages of between 60,000 and 120,000 SYP (from $18.50-37.50 USD) to Syrian recruits in the ranks of its militias.
Following the recent rise in wages, the Syrian government pays between 90,000 and 100,000 SYP ($28-30) to volunteers, including commissioned and non-commissioned officers, while they pay just 22,000 SYP (under $7) to a recruit carrying out his compulsory service.
This difference in wages pushes those people to join IRGC militias and accept being screened to fight within their ranks, and it also urges young Syrians to volunteer with the Iranian militias.
Two years ago, Ahmed al-Anani, who is an expert in the Iranian affairs and international relations, said in an exclusive statement to North Press that Iran has an expansionist agenda in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, and Yemen.