PARIS – 2015-11-29 – Iranian general Qassem Suleimani, the head of the terrorist Quds force in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has been seriously injured in Aleppo, Syria, an unconfirmed report said Tuesday.
The report by the Persian-language opposition AsrIran website, referenced by Al-Arabiya, reported that Suleimani was seriously injured along with two other personnel in an anti-tank rocket attack 12 days ago, during battles in the northern Syrian city.
The AsrIran website is considered close to the National Council of Resistance of Iran, an umbrella organization of five Iranian opposition groups based in Paris.
The report said that Suleimani had received first aid in Syria and was then transported to Tehran, where he is currently being treated in a military hospital. The report was confirmed by Amir Mousavi, director of the Centre for Strategic Studies and International Relations in Tehran.
Last week, Iranian officials denied earlier reports that Suleimani had been killed in an attack in Syria.
Reports claiming that the infamous commander had been wounded or even killed in Syria had been circulating on social media for several days.
Iran has not officially acknowledged sending troops to Syria, but says it has “advisers” on the ground assisting regime forces.
Tehran backs Bashar Al Assad in the conflict.
Russia, another key ally of Al Assad, began air strikes in support of the government on September 30.
Last month, a US official said some 2,000 Iranian or Iranian-backed forces were participating in the regime’s Aleppo operations.
Iran-backed Hezbollah acknowledges its forces are fighting on the ground, while the presence of Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan “volunteer” fighters has been documented.