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Iranian Militias Redeploy in Al-Bukamal: Evacuating Headquarters and Reducing Visibility
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The reduction of the public presence of pro-Iranian groups in Al-Bukamal highlights a shift in their strategy towards covert operations, which may complicate targeting them and increase the complexity
With the escalation of regional tension and the expansion of Israeli strikes in Lebanon and Syria, pro-Iranian groups have begun implementing fundamental changes in their deployment and operational strategy.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that Iranian groups have started repositioning themselves in the Al-Bukamal area in eastern Deir ez-Zor countryside, seeking to avoid potential Israeli targeting.
These steps included evacuating many headquarters in the security squares of foreign and local elements, keeping only a very limited number of local elements for guarding purposes.
The city witnessed a notable decrease in the presence of elements and the activity of patrols and checkpoints that were supervised by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces and the Afghan Fatemiyoun group. Some checkpoints have been replaced with local elements in small numbers, especially at the main entrances to the city.
As a precautionary measure, the militias distributed large quantities of weapons in warehouses spread between Al-Bukamal and Deir ez-Zor, to avoid targeting any new shipments. Foreign militia leaders also left the area after the recent bombing, heading to the Iraqi side to manage operations remotely.
Despite these changes, recruitment operations continue among the region's residents, with promises of improving the financial returns for volunteers. However, many military courses that were held in Al-Siyal and the southern Badia have been cancelled, amid local leaders' refusal to attend any meetings for fear of being targeted.
In a related context, many military headquarters in the city, including the security square in Al-Qusour neighborhood, the Iranian Cultural Center, and the recruitment centers of the Lebanese Hezbollah, have resorted to turning off lights during the evening to avoid detection and targeting by warplanes and drones.
These movements come amid escalating Israeli targeting in Syria, which has notably increased since Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The most prominent of these attacks was the bombing of the Iranian embassy in Damascus in April 2024, which resulted in the killing of 7 Iranian military advisors, including 3 senior commanders.
These developments reflect a strategic shift in the tactics of pro-Iranian groups in Syria, which may affect the balance of power in the region and reshape the geopolitical landscape. They also highlight the increasing challenges these groups face in maintaining their influence and may lead to a change in the dynamics of regional conflict in the long term.
Levant - Agencies
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