Iran-allied militias redeploy in Syria
Redeployment comes after the deadliest Israeli strikes in the war-torn country
Cairo: Pro-government militias aligned with Iran have redeployed in east Syria near the Iraqi border after they were earlier this week the target of the deadliest Israeli attacks in the war-wracked country, according to a monitoring group.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights added that Iranian forces and pro-Iran militias have redeployed inside the areas in the governorate of Deir Al Zour in east Syria where they had been struck by intense Israeli bombardment that left at least 57 people dead.
As a result, the militias vacated their camps in the cities of Al Madayin and Al Bu Kamal in Deir Al Zour, the UK-based Observatory said.
Some of these militias have redeployed inside residential areas for fear of new Israeli strikes, the monitor added.
Highest toll
Israel launched Wednesday a series of airstrikes in east Syria, killing 57 military personnel including 14 government troopers in the highest toll from such attacks in the country, according to the Observatory.
The strikes hit positions of the government forces and their allied Lebanese Hezbollah and pro-Iran militias including the Afghan Fatamyun Brigade.
The bombardment destroyed several arms depots in the area,
Iran and Hezbollah are major allies of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.
In recent years, Israel has unleashed a string of airstrikes in war-wracked Syria mainly targeting Iranian military facilities and militias there. In a rare disclosure, the Israeli army said it had hit about 50 targets inside Syria.