Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

 Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
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Iraq's PMF Arrests Secretary-General of Saraya Al-Khorassani Brigades

 Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)
Jazairi with former commander of Quds Force Qassem Soleimani (Asharq Al-Awsat AR)

Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) continue to arrest prominent figures linked to the Saraya al-Khorasani brigades and Iran, who are accused of attacking civilian activists.

Less than 24 hours after the arrest of Hamid al-Jazairi, deputy commander general of the group, the PFM arrested on Monday 30 members of the Brigades while searching for their Secretary-General Ali Al-Yasiri.

Sources reported that Al-Yasiri “was not present at the Saraya headquarters during the raid launched by PMF security personnel."

“He intended to travel to Syria, but he returned and turned himself over in to the PMF Security Directorate,” the sources added.

Another source close to the PMF confirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat the dismantling of the Saraya al-Khorasani.

“The decision was issued following an Iranian approval,” the source explained, adding that the PMF chief of staff Abdul Aziz al-Muhammadawi, known as Abu Fadak, directly supervised the dismantling process, for unknown reasons.

“It seems that the dismantling decision has the blessing of other factions in the PMF and was welcomed by the Iraqi government, particularly given the bad reputation associated with this faction at the local level.”

In May, Head of the PMF Faleh al-Fayyad relieved al-Jazairi and Waad Al-Qaddo of their duties. Both are known for their loyalty to Iran.

The decision has dealt a severe blow to the influence of the Iraqi militias affiliated with Tehran.

Jazairi has been accused of leading a team of snipers who killed protesters in Tahrir Square in central Baghdad in October last year, when Iraqis protested against Iranian influence in Iraq.

The Saraya al-Khorasani Brigades is closely linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and accused of doing Tehran’s “dirty” works in Iraq.



Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
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Russia Denies its Hmeimim Base in Syria Is Being Used to Supply Hezbollah with Weapons from Iran

A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)
A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 bomber lands at the Russian Hmeimim military base in Latakia province, northwest Syria, on May 4, 2016. (AFP via Getty Images)

Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes as part of its war against Lebanon’s Hezbollah near one of Moscow’s bases in Syria, a top official said Wednesday.

Syrian state media in mid-October claimed that Israel had struck the port city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar Assad, who is supported by Russia and in turn backs Hezbollah.

Latakia, and in particular its airport, is close to the town of Hmeimim that hosts a Russian air base.

“Israel actually carried out an air strike in the immediate vicinity of Hmeimim,” Alexander Lavrentiev, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s special envoy in the Near East, told the RIA Novosti press agency.

“Our military has of course notified Israeli authorities that such acts that put Russian military lives in danger over there are unacceptable,” he added.

“That is why we hope that this incident in October will not be repeated.”

Israel has carried out intensive bombing of Syria but rarely targets Latakia, to the northwest of Damascus.

Israel accuses Hezbollah of transporting weapons through Syria.

The two warring parties have been in open conflict since September after Israel’s year-long Gaza war with Hamas — a Hezbollah ally — escalated to a new front.

Lavrentiev said that Russia’s air base was not being used to supply Hezbollah with weapons.

Israel stepped up strikes on Syria at the same time as targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Since civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, Israel has carried out hundreds of air strikes on Syrian government forces and groups supported by its arch-foe Iran, notably Hezbollah fighters that have been deployed to assist Assad’s regime.

Israel rarely comments on its strikes but has said it will not allow Iran to extend its presence to Syria.