Senior Iran official: Syrian regime key to Palestine

The Syrian regime of Bashar Al-Assad is the bridge to Lebanon and Palestine; the Shehab news agency reported the commander of Iran’s Al-Quds Brigade saying yesterday.

Qasim Suleimani noted that the collapse of the Syrian regime would be a defeat of the Iranian project in the region.

He hailed the inclusion of the Popular Mobilisation Forces, a Shia militia, in the Iraqi army, noting this coinage resulted in a “religious army” and that was the reason why it defeated Daesh in Mosul.

Recently, Iraqi Prime Minister, Haidar Al-Abadi, pledged to continue supporting the Popular Forces for several years ahead. He announced increases to their budget in order to raise the salaries of its militias.

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“Our support for the Popular Forces is continuous and we have increased its budget,” Al-Abadi said. “I was shocked when I found out that the salaries of the fighters of the Popular Forces were not raised. I ordered an investigation into this issue to be conducted, but certain parties refused.”

The militia took part in the Iraqi army’s operations against Daesh. Several monitors accused its members or carrying out massacres against Sunnis.