Unconfirmed Arab Media Reports:

Iran's Major General Qassem Soleimani in Syria's Hama for Major Assault on Al-Qaeda

Rasa - Several Arab media outlets released unconfirmed reports on Saturday claiming that Iran's IRGC Quds Force Commander Major General Qassem Soleimani has arrived in Northern Hama to lead a major offensive against Al-Nusra Front (the Al-Qaeda's offshoot in Syria).

News ID: 428580

Date: 01 April 2017 - 23:36

RNA - The reports released by a dozen media outlets, including syria-victory.com and Al-Masdar, claim that Maj. Gen. Soleimani has arrived in Hama province to help Suheil Al-Hassan, or more affectionately known as The Tiger, to plan for the final assault on Al-Nusra Front (also known as Fatah al-Sham Front or the Levant Liberation Board).

No one in Tehran or Damascus has commented on the report. No independent source has confirmed the report either.

Maj. Gen. Soleimani is a veteran of the Iran-Iraq War and commander of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force. The General is in charge of orchestrating the war on terrorism in the region.

Despite his unique services to the country in nearly four decades, the Iranian General came under the spotlight in the world media only after his leading role in the war on terrorism in Syria, specially after masterminding the 2015 South Aleppo offensive. His role in leading the war on terrorism in Syria that encouraged the Russians to join the alliance of Syria, Iran and Hezbollah of Lebanon changed everything in the battlefield and reversed the trend of the victories of the terrorists that had brought them to the door-steps of the capital, Damascus.

The first striking victory gained under General Soleimani's leadership that received wide world media coverage was lifting the terrorists' several-year-long siege of the Syrian Army's Kuweires airbase in Eastern Aleppo in 2015.

Then in December 2016, his strategic thoughts led to the capture of the last major city under the Al-Nusra Front's rule, Aleppo. After capturing the city, photos emerged in the world media, showing the IRGC Quds Force Commander at the Citadel of Aleppo.

Months earlier in September 2016, people and activists in different parts of the Arab world hailed General Soleimani for his efforts, bravery and sacrifices in the fight against terrorism in the region.

Arab activists from different Middle-Eastern countries used #Shokran (Thank You in Arabic) Soleimani and #Shokran Iran on their web pages and tweeter accounts to show admiration of and appreciation for the Iranian General's efforts, bravery and sacrifices in fighting terrorism.

The large number of tweets and posts to hail the Iranian General astonished many political analysts and critics in the Arab world.

Social media activists also wrote short sentences and used photos of General Soleimani and the Iranian flag on their web pages to show their appreciation.

Iran is providing Iraq and Syria with military advice and humanitarian aid in their fight against terrorist groups.

General Soleimani said last March that Takfiri terrorism threatens all Muslims, and Iran has waged war on those terrorists that trade enslaved women and children.

"The fire of Takfiri and Takfirism has engulfed in homes of our Sunni brothers. Those behind this are under the illusion that they can bring Shiism and the Islamic Republic to their knees. More than anywhere else, Takfiri groups have targeted the sanctity of humanity and the Sunni world," General Soleimani said, addressing a ceremony in Tehran in March 2016.

General Soleimani then asked those behind the smear campaign to question Iran's policy in its ongoing war on terror, "Is it adventurism if the Islamic Republic makes sacrifices to defend Muslims? Is it wrong for the Islamic Republic to battle a group that in just one region is buying and selling some 20,000 unfortunate enslaved young women? Is it wrong for the Islamic Republic to stand against the anti-Muslim current and stop the demolition of Mosques and Muslim holy sites?"

His remarks came after Iraqi Minister of Human Rights Mohammed Mahdi Ameen al-Bayati said the Takfiri ISIL terrorist group has sold thousands of women and girls merely from Iraq’s Izadi Kurdish minority in their slave market.

Also in August, Spokesman of the Iraqi popular forces Ahmad al-Assadi confirmed that General Soleimani would play a major role in the operations to liberate Mosul, stressing that his country is in dire need of Iranian military advisors.

"The presence of Brigadier-General Soleimani in the operations to free Mosul and Nineveh province is necessary and General Soleimani is the greatest advisor that has helped the Iraqi government in the war against the ISIL," al-Assadi told FNA last month.

"Hajj Qassem Soleimani is one of the most important military advisors of the Islamic Republic of Iran who is in Iraq at the invitation, demand and agreement of the Iraqi government," he added.

In May, 2016, Iraq's al-Nujaba Movement published photos of the Iranian General in the popular forces operations room discussing Fallujah battle strategies with Badr commander Hadi Al-'Amiri, Nujaba's Akram Al-Ka'abi and another popular fighters' commander, Abu Mahdi Al-Muhandis

General Soleimani has been present in all major anti-ISIL operations conducted in Iraq, including the assaults that led to the liberation of Tikrit and Beiji.

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