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Iran Developing ‘Militia’ Within Syria
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Iran is trying to develop and train a militia in Syria to fight on behalf of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.
To help, Iran was training a militia “made up of Syrians, generally Shia and some Alawite”, Gen Dempsey said, a reference to the Shia heterodox sect to which President Assad belongs. It was called “Jaysh al-Shaab” or “Army of the People”, he added.
US officials have not publicly mentioned any such group before, although they have accused Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards and its overseas operations arm, the Quds Force, of actively advising, supplying, and assisting the Syrian security forces and government-backed militia.
Panetta also said Tuesday he is confident the United States could enforce a no-fly zone over Syria, but that it was not a “front burner issue” .
His comments come as foreign ministers of the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation are holding a summit in Mecca after agreeing to recommend suspending Syria from the group. The foreign minister of Iran – one of Syria’s strongest allies – said his country will never accept the proposal.
