Over 20 Iraqi resistance members killed in Israeli airstrikes on Palmyra, SOHR

Shafaq News/ Israeli airstrikes on Palmyra have resulted in significant casualties, with over 20 members of the Iraqi Al-Nujabaa Movement among the victims, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated on Thursday.

SOHR continued that “the death toll from the airstrikes had risen to 68, including 22 Al-Nujabaa members and 42 pro-Iranian Syrian militiamen, five of whom were officers collaborating with Hezbollah, and four Lebanon’s Hezbollah members. Additionally, 43 people were injured, including seven civilians.”

“The Israeli airstrikes targeted three locations in Palmyra, in the eastern Homs countryside. One of the targets was a meeting site of Iranian armed groups with leaders from Al-Nujabaa Movement and a Hezbollah leader. Two other sites in the Al-Jamiya neighborhood were also hit, including a weapons depot near the industrial area where families of pro-Iranian elements from various nationalities, including Iraqis, resided.”

Who Are Al-Nujabaa?

Al-Nujabaa Movement, also known as Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, is an Iraqi Shiite armed group established in 2013 by Akram al-Kaabi, and it engage in supporting the Syrian government.

It is closely aligned with Iran and receives substantial support from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which provides funding, weapons, and training, according to the Washington Institute.

Al-Nujabaa's involvement in Syria has solidified its reputation as a key player in the "Axis of Resistance", a coalition of Iran-backed groups opposing Western and Israeli influence in the region, including Yemen’s Ansarallah (Houthis), Lebanon’s Hezbollah, and others, all of which are designated as terrorist organizations by the US.

Israeli Attacks in Syria

Since the beginning of 2024, SOHR has documented 152 instances of Israeli targeting of Syrian territories, including 126 airstrikes and 26 ground attacks. These strikes have led to the destruction of approximately 273 targets, including weapons and ammunition depots, headquarters, and vehicles. The strikes have caused the deaths of 371 military personnel and injured 298 others.

Among the casualties, 28 were Iraqis, 25 were Iranians from the Revolutionary Guards, and 59 were members of Hezbollah. Additionally, 126 pro-Iranian Syrian militiamen, including five officers collaborating with Hezbollah, and 27 non-Syrian pro-Iranian militiamen were killed. The strikes also resulted in the deaths of 62 regime forces and several unidentified persons, as per SOHR.