Baku, Azerbaijan, Apr. 21
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iranian Army's causalities in Syrian clashes have increased to seven since its first presence in the crisis-hit country early this month.
Sadegh Sheibak and Hossein Hemmati, members of the army's elite forces namely the 65 Nohed Airborne Brigade have been reportedly killed in armed clashes with Syrian opposition groups, Fars news agency reported.
Meanwhile, the Army Commander Major General Ataollah Salehi has rejects Army's organized military presence in Syria.
Salehi said April 20 that army has no responsibility in providing advisory supports to Syria, however he confirmed that some "volunteers" from army have been dispatched to Syria under the responsibility of a certain organization which dispatches Iranian military advisors to Syria.
Earlier in April, Iranian media outlets quoted Brigadier-General Ali Arasteh, an Iranian Army commander, as saying that army has deployed a group of its commandos from the 65 Nohed Airborne Brigade in Syria to provide advisory support for President Bashar al-Assad's army in fight against terrorist groups.
Iranian media outlets reported Apr. 11 that Iran's Army for the first time lost its members in clashes in Syria.
A day later the Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Ahmad Reza Pourdastan confirmed the causalities, saying a number of Iranian army ground force members from various units, including the Special Forces of the 65th birgade, are in Syria for advisory mission.
Iranian officials have constantly confirmed that the IRGC provides the Syrian army with advisory support in fight against the terrorist groups.
The Islamic Republic views the Syrian regime as its main strategic ally in the region, as well as a part of the "axis of resistance" against Israel.
Tehran has always expressed support for the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad.