UPDATES
Iran involved in crushing demonstrations in Syria
Jun 22, 2011 | Sharyn Mittelman
Haaretz is reporting that they have information from a senior Israeli source that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and Al-Quds force troops are operating throughout Syria to suppress anti-regime demonstrations and that Iran’s Revolutionary Guard also helped organise the violent demonstrations attempting to breach the Israeli border on “Nakba” and “Naksa” Day, that is, May 15 and June 6.
Avi Issacharoff writes that the source told Haaretz there is clear information on Iran’s involvement in the Syrian violence, as well as the participation of Hezbollah. The article states “Their role is not limited to shootings; Iran has also supplied equipment to the Syrian army, including sniper rifles and communications systems for disrupting the Internet in the country.”
The article also reports that the Revolutionary Guard organised the demonstrations against Israel on the Golan Heights as part of the events on Nakba Day on May 15 and Naksa Day on June 5. The source told Haaretz that: “Initial reports about the presence of Iranians in the suppression of the demonstrations were from the town of Daraa, where the mass demonstrations began. However, since then it is possible to see Iran’s presence in many other places”.
“During the Palestinian memorial days, the Revolutionary Guard organised the busing that was required to transfer the demonstrators to the border. The initiative was not Syrian. However, the Syrian army approved the transfer of the buses to the border. On Nakba Day they [the Iranians] were also involved in the demonstrations in Lebanon, something that was not backed by Hezbollah and was opposed by the Lebanese Army. This is the reason why in Lebanon there were not confrontations and demonstrations on Naksa Day,” the source said.
Tags: Iran