May 13, 2016
In its biggest single day loss since the Iran-Iraq War, the Pasdaran acknowledged that 13 of its men serving as “advisers” in Syria were killed in battle last week south of Aleppo.
In addition, 21 Pasdaran were acknowledged to have been wounded when insurgents from the Nusra Front, which is affiliated with Al-Qaeda, overran the village of Khan Touman, which is southwest of Aleppo.
The Pasdaran said nothing about any men being captured, but Deputy Esmail Kowsari, chairman of the Majlis Defense Committee, told Mizan Online that five or six Pasdaran were taken prisoner.
The Pasdaran have not acknowledged any of their men being captured.
Syrian rebels last December claimed to have captured two Pasdaran and released photos of them, but nothing has been reported in the media in Iran. That indicates the report was censored. And the only reason to censor it would be that the men were indeed captured.
Photos of the dead killed last week were posted on social media showing Iranian banknotes and ID cards taken from their wallets to prove they were Iranians.
The Pasdaran then issued a statement urging the public not to be influenced by terrorist efforts to induce fear. The statement also said all the dead were from Mazandaran province on the Caspian coast.
According to funeral announcements that have appeared in Iranian newspapers and been counted by groups outside Iran, the number of Iranian dead in Syria is approaching 100. The Pasdaran have announced some individual deaths but have not given a total.
