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==History==
==History==
According to the Zainabiyoun Facebook page, volunteers must be between 18-35 years of age and physically fit. They are offered up to Rs. 120,000/ ($1200) as a monthly salary with 15 days of holidays after three months. Their current strength is estimated to be 1,000 fighters (Express Tribune [Pakistan], December 11, 2015). Many fighters are from the Shia-dominated Parachinar, in the Kurrum district of Pakistan’s lawless Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Some are ethnic Baluch are also fighters, although it is unclear whether they hail from Pakistani or Iranian Baluchistan (al-Akhbar, March 29, 2013).

The Zainabiyoun Brigade has been largely restricted to Damascus where scores of its fighters were supposedly killed while defending the shrine of Zainab. [3] In another battle on April 9, 2015, another seven were killed defending the Imam Hasan Mosque in Damascus. The Brigade has also fought alongside Syrian forces in the Darra region, in southern Syria (MEMRI, May 5, 2015).

The primary recruiters, financers, and handlers for the Pakistani fighters in Syria are the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Al-Quds Force, which back the Syrian regime and have helped secure Shia cities such as Latakia, Aleppo, and Damascus.

Iran has previous experience from recruiting Afghan Shia from among the three million strong Afghan refugees in Iran. Though many of them joined the war for sectarian reasons, others were offered Iranian citizenship and handsome salaries of up to $1,100 (Al Jazeera, January 22). They received training from the IRGC in Iran and Syria, and assembled in a separate unit known as the Fatimayoun.

At least six fighters from the Zainabiyoun Brigade died in fighting in March 2016 and were buried in the Iranian holy city of Qom (Farda News, March 3). On April 23, in a separate battle, five more Pakistanis were killed and later also buried Qom (Radio Free Europe, April 25, 2015)
Pakistanis have been fighting in Syria since 2013.<ref name="Farhan Zahid"/> They originally fought in the Afghan [[Liwa Fatemiyoun]], and only became numerous enough to warrant a distinct brigade in early 2015.<ref name=iraqeye>{{cite web|url=https://iraqeye.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/liwa-zainebiyoun-syrias-pakistani-fighters/|title=Liwa Zainebiyoun: Syria’s Pakistani Fighters|work=iraqeye}}</ref> Some of the fighters are [[Baloch people|Baloch]].<ref>https://jamestown.org/program/the-zainabiyoun-brigade-a-pakistani-shiite-militia-amid-the-syrian-conflict/</ref>Like other Shia foreign brigades in Syria, it is funded, trained, and overseen by the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps|Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps]].<ref name="recruits"/><ref name="radio free">{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/persian-letters-afghans-pakistanis-killed-fighting-in-syria-for-iran/26977907.html|title=Increasing Number Of Afghans, Pakistanis Killed In Syria Buried In Iran|publisher=}}</ref> Its official purpose is to defend the [[Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque]] (the shrine of [[Zaynab bint Ali]], sister of [[Imam Hussain]] and granddaughter of [[Muhammad]]) and other Shia holy sites in Syria.<ref name="Farhan Zahid">{{cite web|url=http://www.jamestown.org/programs/tm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=45479&cHash=b1fd0cdae422cab2030811f564ed606a#.V6nKM1t961t|title=The Zainabiyoun Brigade: A Pakistani Shiite Militia Amid the Syrian Conflict|author= Farhan Zahid|date=27 May 2016|work=Terrorism Monitor Volume}}</ref> It operates primarily in [[Damascus]] defending these holy sites. However, since 2015, it has also engaged in offensive action around [[Daraa]]<ref name="OSINT"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/print8549.htm|title=Iran Tightens Its Grip On Syria Using Syrian And Foreign Forces|author=|date=5 May 2015|work=MEMRI}}</ref> and [[Aleppo]], along with other foreign Shia fighters.<ref name=iraqeye/>
Pakistanis have been fighting in Syria since 2013.<ref name="Farhan Zahid"/> They originally fought in the Afghan [[Liwa Fatemiyoun]], and only became numerous enough to warrant a distinct brigade in early 2015.<ref name=iraqeye>{{cite web|url=https://iraqeye.wordpress.com/2016/03/11/liwa-zainebiyoun-syrias-pakistani-fighters/|title=Liwa Zainebiyoun: Syria’s Pakistani Fighters|work=iraqeye}}</ref> Some of the fighters are [[Baloch people|Baloch]].<ref>https://jamestown.org/program/the-zainabiyoun-brigade-a-pakistani-shiite-militia-amid-the-syrian-conflict/</ref>Like other Shia foreign brigades in Syria, it is funded, trained, and overseen by the [[Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps|Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps]].<ref name="recruits"/><ref name="radio free">{{cite web|url=http://www.rferl.org/a/persian-letters-afghans-pakistanis-killed-fighting-in-syria-for-iran/26977907.html|title=Increasing Number Of Afghans, Pakistanis Killed In Syria Buried In Iran|publisher=}}</ref> Its official purpose is to defend the [[Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque]] (the shrine of [[Zaynab bint Ali]], sister of [[Imam Hussain]] and granddaughter of [[Muhammad]]) and other Shia holy sites in Syria.<ref name="Farhan Zahid">{{cite web|url=http://www.jamestown.org/programs/tm/single/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=45479&cHash=b1fd0cdae422cab2030811f564ed606a#.V6nKM1t961t|title=The Zainabiyoun Brigade: A Pakistani Shiite Militia Amid the Syrian Conflict|author= Farhan Zahid|date=27 May 2016|work=Terrorism Monitor Volume}}</ref> It operates primarily in [[Damascus]] defending these holy sites. However, since 2015, it has also engaged in offensive action around [[Daraa]]<ref name="OSINT"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.memri.org/report/en/print8549.htm|title=Iran Tightens Its Grip On Syria Using Syrian And Foreign Forces|author=|date=5 May 2015|work=MEMRI}}</ref> and [[Aleppo]], along with other foreign Shia fighters.<ref name=iraqeye/>


Revision as of 10:26, 10 April 2021

Liwa Zainebiyoun
لواء زينبیون
LeadersAyatollah Ali Khamenei (Supreme Leader of Iran)
Dates of operationlate 2014 – present[1]
Allegiance Iran (IRGC)
Active regionsDamascus
Aleppo
Daraa
Hama
Deir ez-Zor
Palmyra
IdeologyShia Islamism
Khomeinism
Size"Several hundred"[2] - 1,000[3]
AlliesSyria Syria
IranIran  Hezbollah
File:Fatemiyoun Seal.svg Liwa Fatemiyoun
Opponents Israel
Free Syrian Army
Islamic Front
al-Nusra Front
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Syrian Democratic Forces
Battles and warsSyrian civil war

The Followers of Zainab Brigade (Arabic: لِوَاء الزَّيْنَبِيُون, romanized: Liwā’ az-Zaynabīyūn, Persian/Dari: لواء زينبیون or لشکر زينبیون, Liwa Zainebiyoun or Liwa Zainabiyoon), literally Zainebiyoun Brigade, also known as Zainebiyoun Division, is a pro-government brigade fighting in Syria composed of Shia Pakistanis.[8][9] It draws recruits from Shia Pakistanis living in Iran[9] and native Shia of Parachinar and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.[1] It was formed and trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and operates under their command.[9] Initially tasked with defending the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque,[10][11] it has since entered frontlines across Syria.[1] Its dead are buried primarily in Iran.[9][11] Approximately 158 of their fighters have died in Syria as of March 2019, excluding those killed in Israeli airstrikes.[12] According to recent estimations, the total number of Pakistani fighters on the brigade hardly exceeds 800.[13]

History

Pakistanis have been fighting in Syria since 2013.[10] They originally fought in the Afghan Liwa Fatemiyoun, and only became numerous enough to warrant a distinct brigade in early 2015.[1] Some of the fighters are Baloch.[14]Like other Shia foreign brigades in Syria, it is funded, trained, and overseen by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.[3][15] Its official purpose is to defend the Sayyidah Zaynab Mosque (the shrine of Zaynab bint Ali, sister of Imam Hussain and granddaughter of Muhammad) and other Shia holy sites in Syria.[10] It operates primarily in Damascus defending these holy sites. However, since 2015, it has also engaged in offensive action around Daraa[9][16] and Aleppo, along with other foreign Shia fighters.[1]


On 9 April 2015, 7 fighters were killed defending the Imam Hasan Mosque and were buried in Qom, Iran.[10] In March 2016, 6 fighters were killed defending the Imam Reza shrine, also buried in Qom.[17] On 23 April 5 more fighters were killed.[18] An estimated 69 fighters were killed between November 2014 and March 2016.[1]

In early 2018 the group was involved in the Battle of Khasham against US special forces and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.[6]

Reaction in Pakistan

In December 2015, a bomb killed 23 and injured 30 in Parachinar. Terrorist group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi claimed responsibility, and said that it was “revenge [for] the crimes against Syrian Muslims by Iran and Bashar al-Assad” and threatened to continue terror attacks if Parachinar citizens did not “stop sending people to take part in Syrian war”.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f "Liwa Zainebiyoun: Syria's Pakistani Fighters". iraqeye.
  2. ^ Robert Fisk (26 February 2016). "Syria civil war: State-of-the-art technology gives President Assad's army the edge". The Independent.
  3. ^ a b "Iran recruits Pakistani Shias for combat in Syria". The Express Tribune. 11 December 2015.
  4. ^ Says, Motorhead (28 October 2016). "IRGC commander killed on eve of Aleppo battle | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org.
  5. ^ "Array of pro-Syrian government forces advances in Aleppo | FDD's Long War Journal". www.longwarjournal.org. 9 December 2016.
  6. ^ a b Christoph Reuter. American Fury: The Truth About the Russian Deaths in Syria: Hundreds of Russian soldiers are alleged to have died in U.S. airstrikes at the beginning of February. Reporting by DER SPIEGEL shows that events were likely very different. Der Spiegel, 2 March 2018.
  7. ^ Joe Truzman (14 February 2020). "IRGC trained militias suffer losses in northwest Syria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  8. ^ "Liwa Zainebiyoun".
  9. ^ a b c d e "Meet the Zainebiyoun Brigade: An Iranian Backed Pakistani Shia Militia Fighting in Syria". Archived from the original on 2 May 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  10. ^ a b c d Farhan Zahid (27 May 2016). "The Zainabiyoun Brigade: A Pakistani Shiite Militia Amid the Syrian Conflict". Terrorism Monitor Volume.
  11. ^ a b "Funeral Service for Seven Pakistani Militants Killed in Syria; Qom, Iran, Apr 2015". Konflictcam.
  12. ^ "Foreign Shiite combat fatalities in Syria and nationality since January 19, 2012." Ali Alfoneh. Twitter. 4 March 2019.
  13. ^ Wigger, Leo (26 September 2019). ""Why Pakistan holds a key in the Iranian-Saudi confrontation"". magazine.zenith.me. Retrieved 1 October 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ https://jamestown.org/program/the-zainabiyoun-brigade-a-pakistani-shiite-militia-amid-the-syrian-conflict/
  15. ^ "Increasing Number Of Afghans, Pakistanis Killed In Syria Buried In Iran".
  16. ^ "Iran Tightens Its Grip On Syria Using Syrian And Foreign Forces". MEMRI. 5 May 2015.
  17. ^ "The Zainabiyoun Brigade". Farda News. 3 March 2016.
  18. ^ جهان|TABNAK, سایت خبری تحلیلی تابناك|اخبار ایران و. "پیکر ۵ شهید مدافع حرم در قم تشییع شد".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Mehdi Hussain (13 December 2015). "At least 23 killed, 30 injured in Parachinar blast". The Express Tribune.
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