The eastern countryside of Homs suffers from the dominance of the Iranian, Afghani, Iraqi and Lebanese militias, which operate under the command of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Syria, and which took advantage of ISIS’s occupation of Palmyra in previous periods, in order to full control On the area of great importance.
Iranian control of Palmyra and the entire eastern countryside of Homs is not limited to the military aspects only, but also extends to the social and sectarian aspects, in order to transform the region into its exclusive sphere of influence. Despite the presence of Russian forces at Palmyra airport.
The multinational militias loyal to Tehran are deployed in the cities of Palmyra and Al-Qaryatayn, and on the road between the Sukhna area and the city of Albukamal on the Syrian-Iraqi border. These militias exerted various pressures on the Russian forces, which were present in the Jamiat area in the city of Palmyra, and pushed them to move their checkpoints and soldiers inside the Palmyra Military Airport, so that the Iraqi Fatemiyoun militia would take over the positions of the Russian forces in the Jamiat area.
“There is no difference between ISIS and Iranian militias in the eastern countryside of Homs.”
Fayez al-Khair was forced to leave his city of Palmyra, and the entire eastern countryside of Homs, and move to northern Syria. Regarding the reasons for his displacement, he told Al-Hol.net: “Iranian militias are constantly transferring the families of their non-Syrian fighters to the homes of displaced civilians; It also seized a lot of lands, with the aim of investing them; And it worked to buy the loyalties of some notables in the region, in order to implement its scheme in the city.”
Al-Khair asserts that “these militias are forcing the people to convert to the Shiite sect, through intimidation and enticement.” Adding that it “has built schools belonging to Iran in the city and the eastern countryside of Homs, and is constantly building.” recruiting Young men are among its ranks, forcing dozens of them to pay large sums of money, in order to flee the city towards the areas of northern Syria.”
The source explains that “the militias are putting constant pressure on the remaining residents of the city, in order to push them to sell their homes at low prices.” He pointed out that “the number of home brokers, affiliated with these militias in the city, has increased significantly, amid the small number of buyers. Because of the drop in demand and the large supply of real estate, the value of homes has fallen sharply, as the average price of an average home today in Palmyra is only regarding two thousand and five hundred dollars.”
At the end of his speech, al-Khair noted that “the residents of the city and the entire eastern countryside of Homs did not feel any difference between the rule of ISIS and the domination of the Iranian militias, in terms of violations and restrictions on the population, and the imposition of a unilateral ideology on the people by various means.”
The population of Palmyra city today, according to activists from the people of the city, is estimated at only regarding five thousand people, the largest proportion of them are families of officers and soldiers affiliated with the Iranian militias, while the population of the city in 2004 was regarding 51,323 people, according to the Syrian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Palmyra antiquities theft
In turn, media activist Omar al-Asaad, who is from Palmyra, said that “the Iranian militias in the city and the entire eastern countryside of Homs continue to excavate antiquities, by digging in several areas, with the aim of smuggling them abroad.”
He continued, in his interview with Al-Hal.net: “The militias have turned the hotels area, located in the Al-Awainah neighborhood in the south of the city, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the region, into a camp for them. From there, I began excavating in the vicinity of the Temple of Bel, and the vicinity of the Meridian Hotel, as well as the eastern and southern orchards, and the oasis area rich in antiquities.”
Al-Assaad pointed out that “the equipment used by the militias is old and outdated, and it causes great damage to the archaeological finds discovered. The workers who are digging are members of the Afghan and Iraqi militias, and they do not have any excavation experience.”
He explained that “the Iranian militias are working to smuggle antiquities extracted from Palmyra and the eastern countryside of Homs to Lebanon and Iraq, with the mediation of the Lebanese Hezbollah, because this is the safest route for the militias, and then they reach Europe and America, where they are sold and traded at great prices.”
Demographic change for strategic reasons in the eastern countryside of Homs
For his part, Mr. Mustafa al-Nuaimi, a journalist and researcher in Iranian affairs, confirmed that “ninety percent of the population of Palmyra and the eastern countryside of Homs have become displaced and displaced, following ISIS took control of the region, and then the Iranian militias. Most of them were displaced to al-Rukban camp on the Syrian-Jordanian border, or to northern Syria and the areas of the Syrian Democratic Forces. Some of them immigrated to Turkey and Europe.
Al-Nuaimi added, in his testimony to “Al-Hol Net”, that “the Iranian militias act in a sectarian manner with the residents of the eastern countryside of Homs, and impose on the remaining youth a kind of conscription. To secure the human element in its formations and at its barriers.”
He pointed out that “Iran has been keen, since the beginning of the Syrian war, to control the city of Palmyra and the eastern countryside of Homs because of its great importance, especially as it is an important transportation node on the land road that connects Tehran to Beirut via Baghdad and Damascus.”
He concluded by saying: “Iran has established dozens of military points, and has brought in soldiers and military vehicles, from the border city of Al-Bukamal with Iraq towards the depth of the Badia, reaching the eastern countryside of Homs and the city of Palmyra, in order to secure the most important land route for it and prevent any attacks on its forces.” .
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