ISIS claims killing government-backed militias in Syria’s Deir ez-Zor
DEIR EZ-ZOR, Syria (North Press) – On Wednesday, the Islamic State organization (ISIS) claimed the responsibility for killing 16 members of the Syrian government-backed National Defense Forces (NDF) in the al-Masrab desert in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, east Syria.
ISIS militants ambushed a patrol of the NDF on November 13 and killed 16 of them, the Amaq News Agency, which is close to ISIS, said.
Among the dead was Abdussattar al-Sha’eiti, commander of the Lions of the East Army (Arabic: Usud al-Sharqiya) of the government forces, who came from the town of al-Kishkiyah in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, a source, who declined to be named, said at the time.
The attack was carried out by explosive devices targeting one of the vehicles of the faction.
ISIS, through media close to it, said the reason for the attack was the participation of the Usud al-Sharqiya in the fighting against it in the areas of Deir ez-Zor.
On November 6, a leader of an Iranian-backed armed faction was killed as his vehicle was attacked near al-Tebni town in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, eastern Syria.
On October 4, ISIS militants killed five members of the Iranian-backed factions in the Syrian Badia in the western countryside of Deir ez-Zor, and captured others.
On August 21, five militants of Iranian-backed factions were killed and eight others were captured in an ISIS ambush in the town of al-Duwair, east of Deir ez-Zor.
Since the eruption of the events in Syria in 2011, Iran has officially announced its support to the Syrian government and sent its militias to support government forces in their war against factions of the Syrian opposition.
Iran supported and formed military factions, which are working to fulfill Iran’s ambition in Syria, the most prominent of these factions are National Defense Forces (NDF), Liwa Fatemiyoun, Hashemiyoun and Liwa Zainebiyoun.
Iran continues the process of recruiting Syrian militants within the ranks of factions affiliated with it through attracting them by offers, and extorting the deteriorating economic conditions that Syria is witnessing.
There are about 30 recruiting centers deploying in the eastern countryside of Deir ez-Zor, west of the Euphrates River, most of them were houses belonging to residents that were seized by Iranian-backed factions under the pretext that their owners are residing in areas held by either Syrian Democratic Forces or opposition factions.