MESOP VIDEO: JMA CLAIM TO FIND EVIDENCE IRANIANS PRESENT AT HANDARAT ALEPPO

OCTOBER 13, 2014 JOANNA PARASZCZUK

Video footage released by Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar’s media wing of fighting at Handarat, Aleppo claims to show evidence of the presence of Iranian forces. Akhbar Sham posted the video on Sunday (warning: some graphic images): Not all of this footage was made by JMA or shows JMA, however; some of it shows Arabic-speaking fighters. (It is worth noting that JMA has historically presented itself as leading battles in which it has merely participated alongside much larger factions.) The footage shows Russian-speaking fighters entering an apartment building that had been used by pro-Assad forces and captured by the rebels. A young Arab boy brings a packet of tablets to the Russian-speaking cameraman, who says they are “drugs/ narcotics”. The cameraman then shows a package of Iranian nuts to the camera.

The packet of tablets is a popular Iranian brand of over-the -counter cold medication from Corizan. Is this evidence that Iranians were present at the scene? Possibly, unless the medication can be purchased in Syria or was purchased by someone who went to Iran. JMA and another Chechen-led faction, Seyfullakh Shishani’s jamaat, have been fighting at Handarat for the past week and have suffered some losses. Also present at Handarat and leading the battle, although it does not appear that they are shown in this footage (perhaps indicating that they are fighting at a different position from these jihadi foreign fighter factions, though the relative positions of the various factions in this battle is unknown) are the US-sponsored Free Syrian Army faction Harakat Hazm. Reports from the past few days suggest that pro-Assad forces (it is not clear if these are Syrian Arab Army or other units e.g. National Defense Forces) have suffered losses at Handarat. This (unverifiable) report says that 20 pro-Assad fighters were killed several days ago, and notes that the FSA’s Harakat Hazm is fighting in the battle as well as “mujahideen units”. The report says that the battle is named Jahannom (Hell) and that the rebels are using tanks and other weapons (JMA are not using tanks, so this is most likely a reference to Harakat Hazm).

VIDEO: JMA Claim To Find Evidence Iranians Present At Handarat Aleppo | From Chechnya To Syria