According to the memorandum obtained by Zaman al-Wasl, Head of the Division of Organization and Administration, Maj. Gen. Adnan Mhraz Abdo," a memo was sent to Bashar al-Assad as commander-in-chief of the army and the armed forces, informing him of the work of the committee charged with organizing the local defense forces under the Iranian command.
In the memo, Abdo included a table detailing the number of mercenaries organized by local defense forces and their distribution to the provinces, and categorizing them as fleeing, civilians, and settling their situation.
The table revealed that the total number of those proposed to be included in Iran's local defense forces is 88,733 mercenaries, of whom about 37,000 are civilians and more than 30,000 are late in regime army recruitment and 12,000 who settled their situation with the regime.
Regarding distribution of mercenaries in 11 provinces, Aleppo came in the forefront in terms of number by 26 thousand, followed by Damascus by about 20 thousand, and Hama by nearly 12 thousand, and Homs about 9 thousand.
A second table presented the number of military personnel proposed to be settled, equivalent to some 52,000 military personnel, who were recommended to be transferred, appointed and modified to the local defense forces and recruitment to those who had already been settled and engaged under the command of Iranians.
One of the propositions of the memorandum recommended that the subordination of former local defense forces to the Iranian side should remain under Iran command until the end of the crisis in Syria.
The most important item in the memorandum revealed that "the combat and physical insurance of all types of military and Syrian civilians working with the Iranian side rests with the Iranian side." The securing of the rights of the dead and wounded from working groups under the banner of Iran is also a duty on the Iranian side.
Memorandum No. 1455 dated 4-4-2017, recommended to be approved by the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense, only one day after its date, to be approved by Bashar on 11-4-2017 and become effective.
The implementation of the contents of the memorandum appears to have begun immediately. It has been appended to all intelligence agencies, immigration and criminal security agencies, as well as the military police, asking them not to interfere with those working with the Iranian side who carry special temporary cards given to local defense militia until they are settled and given permanent cards.
The circular issued on April 22, 2017, noted Memorandum No. 1455, which Bashar had already approved, offering Iran a new token of friendship.
Syrian regime President Bashar al-Assad agreed to a proposal submitted to him by his Defense Mnister and Chief of Staff through the head of the Organization and Administration Division to recruit tens of thousands of Syrians in the local defense forces militia under the command of the Iran which will arm and command the militia.
According to the memorandum obtained by Zaman al-Wasl, Head of the Division of Organization and Administration, Maj. Gen. Adnan Mhraz Abdo," a memo was sent to Bashar al-Assad as commander-in-chief of the army and the armed forces, informing him of the work of the committee charged with organizing the local defense forces under the Iranian command.
In the memo, Abdo included a table detailing the number of mercenaries organized by local defense forces and their distribution to the provinces, and categorizing them as fleeing, civilians, and settling their situation.
The table revealed that the total number of those proposed to be included in Iran's local defense forces is 88,733 mercenaries, of whom about 37,000 are civilians and more than 30,000 are late in regime army recruitment and 12,000 who settled their situation with the regime.
Regarding distribution of mercenaries in 11 provinces, Aleppo came in the forefront in terms of number by 26 thousand, followed by Damascus by about 20 thousand, and Hama by nearly 12 thousand, and Homs about 9 thousand.
A second table presented the number of military personnel proposed to be settled, equivalent to some 52,000 military personnel, who were recommended to be transferred, appointed and modified to the local defense forces and recruitment to those who had already been settled and engaged under the command of Iranians.
One of the propositions of the memorandum recommended that the subordination of former local defense forces to the Iranian side should remain under Iran command until the end of the crisis in Syria.
The most important item in the memorandum revealed that "the combat and physical insurance of all types of military and Syrian civilians working with the Iranian side rests with the Iranian side." The securing of the rights of the dead and wounded from working groups under the banner of Iran is also a duty on the Iranian side.
Memorandum No. 1455 dated 4-4-2017, recommended to be approved by the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Defense, only one day after its date, to be approved by Bashar on 11-4-2017 and become effective.
The implementation of the contents of the memorandum appears to have begun immediately. It has been appended to all intelligence agencies, immigration and criminal security agencies, as well as the military police, asking them not to interfere with those working with the Iranian side who carry special temporary cards given to local defense militia until they are settled and given permanent cards.
The circular issued on April 22, 2017, noted Memorandum No. 1455, which Bashar had already approved, offering Iran a new token of friendship.