Iran's Qassem Soleimani spotted in evacuated East Aleppo

Iran's notorious General Qassem Soleimani visited the beleaguered city of Aleppo after Syrian regime loyalists recaptured its eastern parts from rebels, according to media outlets close to the Syrian regime.

Soleimani, head of the Quds Force of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the unit in charge of Iran's foreign military operations from Iraq to Lebanon via Yemen, appeared in Aleppo with Syrian regime Col. Iyad Salloum.

Salloum is thought to be a field commander with the Syrian army who led operations along the historic castle axis. Khat Tamas, a website close to Damascus, posted pictures of the Iranian general it said were taken on a recent visit to the castle.

This is the second time Soleimani has appeared in the Syrian city.

On 4 December, an Iraqi Shia militia fighting in Syria posted a video showing the shadowy commander visiting the fronts in Aleppo.

Soleimani's visit follows the mass evacuation of East Aleppo's residents, after a four-month siege by regime forces backed by Iranian advisers and Tehran-backed militias from Lebanon and Iraq.

Militias commanded by Soleimani were accused of blocking the evacuation earlier. The militias intercepted the eighth batch, with several civilians reported killed.

Twitter Post