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Russia Seeks to Bolster 8th Brigade to Counter Iranian Influence in Syria

A picture shows Russian troops in the Syrian district of Daraa al-Balad in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on September 1, 2021. (AFP)
A picture shows Russian troops in the Syrian district of Daraa al-Balad in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on September 1, 2021. (AFP)
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Russia Seeks to Bolster 8th Brigade to Counter Iranian Influence in Syria

A picture shows Russian troops in the Syrian district of Daraa al-Balad in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on September 1, 2021. (AFP)
A picture shows Russian troops in the Syrian district of Daraa al-Balad in Syria's southern province of Daraa, on September 1, 2021. (AFP)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Monday Russia was "sparing no effort" in seeking to contain Iran's influence in Syria.

Russia is determined to reject partnership with Tehran in controlling decision-making in Syria, it said.

The Russians have resorted to various ways to impose their control, especially in regions where Iran does not enjoy major influence.

The Eighth Brigade, which is loyal to Moscow, has therefore opened a recruitment office in Palmyra to attract locals to join the unit.

The office was opened in the Baath party headquarters, which is close to the Badia intelligence branch.

Activists told the Observatory that the Russians tasked one figure, identified only as A.A., with contacting the residents of Palmyra who live in areas under Turkey's control in northern Syria.

The figure has pledged to offer them guarantees and incentives to return to Palmyra in return for joining the Brigade.

A Syrian from the al-Sukhnah region was also tasked with contacting the local tribes and others living in Kurdish-held regions for the same purpose.

On Sunday, the Observatory had said Russia was vying for influence against the Iranians in areas held by the regime in the Hasakah region.

It has sought to curry favor with the locals to attract them in joining the Russian branch of the National Defense Forces instead of the Iranian branch.

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Syria Authorities Say Torched 1 Million Captagon Pills

A man throws a bag onto a pile of burning illicit drugs, as Syria's new authorities burn drugs reportedly seized from a security branch, in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (AFP)
A man throws a bag onto a pile of burning illicit drugs, as Syria's new authorities burn drugs reportedly seized from a security branch, in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (AFP)
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Syria Authorities Say Torched 1 Million Captagon Pills

A man throws a bag onto a pile of burning illicit drugs, as Syria's new authorities burn drugs reportedly seized from a security branch, in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (AFP)
A man throws a bag onto a pile of burning illicit drugs, as Syria's new authorities burn drugs reportedly seized from a security branch, in Damascus on December 25, 2024. (AFP)

Syria's new authorities torched a large stockpile of drugs on Wednesday, two security officials told AFP, including one million pills of captagon, whose industrial-scale production flourished under ousted president Bashar al-Assad.

Captagon is a banned amphetamine-like stimulant that became Syria's largest export during the country's more than 13-year civil war, effectively turning it into a narco state under Assad.

"We found a large quantity of captagon, around one million pills," said a balaclava-wearing member of the security forces, who asked to be identified only by his first name, Osama, and whose khaki uniform bore a "public security" patch.

An AFP journalist saw forces pour fuel over and set fire to a cache of cannabis, the painkiller tramadol, and around 50 bags of pink and yellow captagon pills in a security compound formerly belonging to Assad's forces in the capital's Kafr Sousa district.

Captagon has flooded the black market across the region in recent years.

"The security forces of the new government discovered a drug warehouse as they were inspecting the security quarter," said another member of the security forces, who identified himself as Hamza.

Authorities destroyed the stocks of alcohol, cannabis, captagon and hashish in order to "protect Syrian society" and "cut off smuggling routes used by Assad family businesses", he added.

- Manufacturing sites -

Since an opposition alliance toppled Assad on December 8 after a lightning offensive, Syria's new authorities have said massive quantities of captagon have been found in former government sites around the country, including security branches.

AFP journalists in Syria have seen fighters from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group set fire to what they said were stashes of captagon found at facilities once operated by Assad's forces.

Security force member Hamza confirmed Wednesday that "this is not the first initiative of its kind -- the security services, in a number of locations, have found other warehouses... and drug manufacturing sites and destroyed them in the appropriate manner".

Maher al-Assad, a military commander and the brother of Bashar al-Assad, is widely accused of being the power behind the lucrative captagon trade.

Experts believe Syria's former leader used the threat of drug-fueled unrest to put pressure on Arab governments.

Jordan in recent years has cracked down on the smuggling of weapons and drugs including captagon along its 375-kilometer (230-mile) border with Syria.