Relative of Maher Al-Assad's Wife Buys Real Estate for Iran-Backed Militias

Members of Iranian militias in Syria (SOHR)
Members of Iranian militias in Syria (SOHR)
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Relative of Maher Al-Assad's Wife Buys Real Estate for Iran-Backed Militias

Members of Iranian militias in Syria (SOHR)
Members of Iranian militias in Syria (SOHR)

Iranian militias continue to purchase real estate in Moadamiyat al-Sham city in the western countryside of Damascus, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The Observatory said the Syrian man from Deir Ezzor named "Mersal," a relative of Maher al-Assad's wife, is buying the real estate.

Maher al-Assad is the brother of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and commander of the 4th Division.

The Observatory quoted a source saying Mersal and his followers of the 4th Division and others from Deir Ezzor purchase real estate in Moadamiyat al-Sham, which is of great symbolic importance to Iranian-backed militias and the 4th Division.

Mersal buys as much real estate as possible in the area, whether homes or shops, through various means and methods, such as paying large amounts of money or using force if anyone refuses to sell his property.

SOHR sources added that during Eid al-Adha, Mersal slaughtered dozens of cattle and distributed them to the inhabitants and residents of Moadamiyat al-Sham to lure them and win their affection.

It is worth noting that the properties acquired by Mersal for dozens of Iranian-backed militiamen have not yet been inhabited by anyone and have not been sold.



Gaza's Health Ministry Says the Palestinian Death Toll from the War Has Surpassed 46,000

People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
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Gaza's Health Ministry Says the Palestinian Death Toll from the War Has Surpassed 46,000

People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)
People search the rubble of a building destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees in the central Gaza Strip on January 8, 2025 as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement continues. (Photo by Eyad BABA / AFP)

More than 46,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war, Gaza's Health Ministry said Thursday, as the conflict raged into a 16th month with no end in sight.
The ministry said a total of 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded. It has said women and children make up more than half the fatalities, but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians, said The Associated Press.
The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It says it tries to avoid harming civilians and blames Hamas for their deaths because the militants operate in residential areas. Israel has also repeatedly struck what it claims are militants hiding in shelters and hospitals, often killing women and children.
The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting around 250. Some 100 hostages are still inside Gaza. Israeli authorities believe at least a third of them were killed in the initial attack or have died in captivity.
The war has flattened large areas of Gaza and displaced around 90% of its 2.3 million people, with many forced to flee multiple times. Hundreds of thousands are packed into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.
In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas have appeared to inch closer to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. But the indirect talks mediated by the United States, Qatar and Egypt have repeatedly stalled over the past year, and major obstacles remain.