Four Iranians were killed in an airstrike on a Syrian airbase near Homs on Sunday, a news agency affiliated with the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Fars reported on Monday, April 9.
Fars has listed Ammar Mousavi from city of Ahvaz, Mehdi Lotfi Niasar and Akbar Zavvar Jannati from city of Tabriz and Mehdi Dehqani Yazdli as “Defenders of the Shrine” who were killed in the attack along with ten others.
Defenders of the Shrine is a term used in the Islamic Republic to refer to its military personnel in Syria. Tehran insists that its fighters in Syria are there to defend the shrine of Zeinab (daughter of Ali bin Abi Talib, Shi’ites’ first Imam) near Damascus.
Meanwhile, Iran has trained and armed Afghan and Pakistani Shi’ites to fight in Syria in military formations of “Fatemiyoun Division” and “Zeinabiyoun Brigade”, respectively.
Joining voices with Russia and Syria, Fars has also accused Israel of carrying out the airstrike.
Many of the IRGC trained Afghan and Pakistani fighter have been killed in Syria, although no numbers have been announced. But the head of “Martyr's Foundation”, Mohammad Ali Shahidi announced a year ago that 2100 Iranians had been killed in the war-ravaged country.
Earlier, Syrian official news agency, SANA said the attack on the Tayfur base was a "suspected U.S. attack," but it later withdrew any reference to the United States. There is reportedly a large contingent of Russian forces at the base.
Russia's Defense Ministry said two Israeli fighter jets launched the attack on the T4 air base in central Syria from Lebanon's air space.
Israel has not commented on the allegations, so far, but has insisted that it will not tolerate "enemy" bases near to its borders.
Israel has attacked T-4 (Tayfur) near Homs twice in the past, allegedly destroying an Iranian drone control center and communication systems.
Earlier, Syrian official news agency, SANA had maintained that the attack on the Tayfur base was a "suspected U.S. attack," but it later withdrew any reference to the United States. There is reportedly a large contingent of Russian forces at the base.
