Iran began evacuating its military commanders and personnel from Syria on Friday, the New York Times reported, citing Iranian and regional sources – a move seen as a reflection of Iran’s diminished ability to support President Bashar al-Assad amid a renewed offensive by anti-government forces.
Among those evacuated to Iraq and Lebanon were senior leaders of the Quds Force, the external wing of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), the sources stated.
In addition, IRGC, Iranian diplomatic staff, their families, and civilians have also been relocated, according to Iranian officials, including two members of the Guards, and regional sources. The evacuations reportedly began Friday morning.
The evacuations extended to the Iranian Embassy in Damascus and Revolutionary Guards’ bases; the sources confirmed to the New York Times. Some embassy staff have already departed.
This development coincides with Syrian opposition fighters claiming they captured the southern city of Daraa on Saturday, marking the birthplace of the 2011 uprising against Al-Assad and the fourth city lost by Syrian government forces within a week.
Sources reported that the military agreed to withdraw from Daraa under a deal that granted army officials safe passage to Damascus, approximately 100 kilometers (60 miles) to the north.
The capture of Daraa came after Syrian anti-government forces claimed late Friday to have reached the outskirts of Homs, a strategic city linking the capital to the Mediterranean coast.
Control of Homs would sever Damascus from al-Assad’s Alawite strongholds along the coast, as well as from Russian military bases in the area.
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