The Iranian “Netzer” Center, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, distributed food aid to the families of the militia members killed operating under the Revolutionary Guards in the city of Deir Ez-Zor. The center is located on Fort Said Street and serves Iran as a recruitment and training center for its militias. Through this center, Iran established about a year ago a new military formation called “The Village Army” and recruited about 100 militia fighters, as a way to strengthen its control over the region.
The food rations featured pictures of Quds Force commander Qassem Suleimani, who was killed in a U.S. airstrike at Baghdad airport in early 2020, as well as Iranian and Syrian flags.
Deir a-Zour district, and especially the city of al-Bukhmal on the Syrian-Iraqi border, is one of the prominent areas where the pro-Iranian militias are concentrated: The main and largest militia in Syria – Fatemiyoun (most fighters originally from Afghanistan), The Iraqi Hezbollah battalions, and the Zainebiyoun militia (most fighters originally from Pakistan).
Deir Ez-Zor is of special importance to Iran, as the region is a strategic crossroads within the land corridor of the radical Shiite axis from Iran and to Iraq, Syria, and then Lebanon.
