Iran sends special forces to Syria as ‘advisors’

Iran has deployed troops from its special 65th brigade unit to Syria on an “advisory mission”, a senior Iranian military official said Monday.

“Advisers from the 65th Nohed Brigade are now stationed in Syria while fighters from other units in the army are active in Syria,” Iran’s Tasnim news agency quoted Deputy Chief Liaison of the Army’s Ground Force General Ali Arasteh as saying.

Arasteh said last month that Iran might send snipers and special forces from its armed military personnel on advisory missions to Iraq and Syria.

Tehran is Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s main ally in the region and has provided economic and military support for the leader.

While the presence of the elite Iranian Revolutionary Guards in Syria is well documented, the regular Iranian army is normally active within Iran’s borders.