A general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran's ideological army, was killed during a "
mission
" in Syria, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday (August 23rd).
“
General Abolfazl Alijani, a member of the Guardians ground forces who was on assignment in Syria as a military adviser, was martyred on Sunday
,” state television said on its website.
Abolfazl Alijani is described there as a "
sanctuary defender
", a term used to refer to those who work on behalf of Iran in Syria or Iraq, without further details on the attack in which he was killed.
Iran is helping the Syrian regime of Bashar al-Assad, its ally, in the war, and claims to deploy military advisers in Syria.
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In early August, funeral ceremonies were held in Tehran and other Iranian cities for five members of the Guardians killed in Syria several years ago after their bodies were discovered and identified through DNA tests, according to Iranian media. .
In March, the Guardians said an Israeli attack in Syria killed two of their officers, warning that Israel would "
pay for this crime
".
In recent years, Israel has carried out hundreds of airstrikes in Syria, targeting regime positions as well as Iranian-backed allied forces and fighters from the pro-Iranian Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah.
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Syria's neighbor Israel rarely comments on the strikes on a case-by-case basis, but has admitted to carrying out hundreds since 2011. The Israeli military has defended them as necessary to prevent Iran from gaining a foothold on its doorstep.
Iran and Israel have been engaged in a shadow war for years, with Tehran accusing its sworn enemy of carrying out sabotage actions against its nuclear sites and of assassinating key figures, including scientists.
The Revolutionary Guard Corps is blacklisted as a "
terrorist group
" by the United States.