Few wars have seen such a tangle of combatants as Syria’s, however one clear winner is emerging from the chaos, Maria Abi Habib wrote for the Wall Street Journal [WSJ].
According to the author, Hezbollah now fights in Syria alongside Russian troops, referring to it as the movement’s first alliance with a global power.
Abi Habib further claimed that it was Hezbollah that devised the battlefield plan for Aleppo used by Syrian and Russian forces last year, citing Arab and US officials who monitor the resistance movement.
The WSJ report went on to say: with its growing might, this arch-foe of ‘Israel’ has gained a modicum of international recognition. It participated in negotiations sponsored by Russia following the rout of militants from Aleppo.
“When China’s special envoy to Syria visited Lebanon in December, he carved out time to see Hezbollah’s foreign-relations chief.”
US and ‘Israeli’ officials watched Hezbollah’s growth with concern. In this regard, Zionist Premier Benjamin Netanyahu told US President Donald Trump during a February US visit that Hezbollah’s expanded arsenal also endangers American warships in nearby waters, said diplomats briefed on the meeting, the report claimed.
The US is well aware of ‘Hezbollah’s expanding capabilities and will continue working closely with partners in the region to address threats it poses,’ a US State Department official said, adding that disrupting Hezbollah’s military capabilities was a top US priority.
Meanwhile, Maria Abi Habib added that Western diplomats estimate ‘the number of Syrian fighters loyal to Hezbollah’s command in the tens of thousands.’
In Syria, Hezbollah is playing for lasting political and social influence, the author says referring to analyses by Western and Arab diplomats. The group has broadened its mandate from countering ‘Israel’ to fighting extremist groups across the region to protect religious minorities-not only Shiites but also Christians.
In this regard, Abi Habib cited Abu Ishak, the spokesman for Saraya Ahl Alsham terrorist group as saying:
“Hezbollah is in charge of the whole region, and they control everything here.”
Source: Wall Street Journal, Edited by website team
03-04-2017 | 15:04
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