IPT Blog: Senior Hizballah Officials Acknowledge Group's Presence in Syria and Beyond

Steven Emerson, Executive Director July 30, 2018 Articles by IPT |  IPT in the News |  IPT Blog |  Profiles |  Multimedia |  Donate |  Contact Us Senior Hizballah Officials Acknowledge Group's Presence in Syria and Beyond by IPT News  •  Jul 30, 2018 at 10:46 am https://www.investigativeproject.org/7554/senior-hizballah-officials-acknowledge-group Print Send RSS Share: Be the first of your friends to like this. A top Hizballah official acknowledged that the terrorist organization remains in Syria and is consolidating its presence across the Middle East, the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center reports. In a July 21 speech, Hashem Safi al-Din – Hizballah's executive council chief – bragged about his organization's role in helping the Syrian regime takeover south Syria and fueling conflicts throughout the region. Al-Din is a member of Hizballah's Shura council and is regarded as one of its most influential figures. Another Hizballah official, deputy executive council chief Sheikh Ali Da'mush, also praised the terrorist group's successes against militant groups in south Syria, during a statement broadcast on Hizballah's al-Manar TV channel a day before al-Din's speech. Before these declarations, Hizballah avoided publicly admitting to its role in helping the dictator Bashar Al-Assad's regime re-take territory in southern Syria. These high-level statements are meant to shore up support from Hizballah's constituency and signal the group's resolve to outside powers such as Israel, the United States, and even Russia, the Meir Amit report said. Recent reports suggest that Russia is considering ways to limit Iran and Hizballah's military presence in south Syria. Hizballah's leadership is now making it clear that they will not withdraw from the area without a fight. "Anyone who imagines that the United States or the Arab states or any other country in the world can determine the future of the region, from Yemen to Iraq, to Syria, to Lebanon, to Palestine, to the entire region – without the presence of the resistance [Hizballah], is mistaken," al-Din said. Hizballah has been a decisive factor in preserving the Assad regime throughout the Syrian civil war. It originally viewed Assad's collapse as an existential threat, given its reliance on Iranian weapons transfers through Syria. But after its early successes, Hizballah's leadership saw an opportunity to open a new Syrian base of operations to threaten Israel. The terrorist group's leadership is increasingly confident and now looking to expand its presence in ongoing conflicts beyond Syria. Related Topics: IPT News, Hizballah, Syrian civil war, Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, Hashem Safi al-Din, Shi'ite axis, Ali Da'much The IPT accepts no funding from outside the United States, or from any governmental agency or political or religious institutions. Your support of The Investigative Project on Terrorism is critical in winning a battle we cannot afford to lose. All donations are tax-deductible. Click here to donate online. The Investigative Project on Terrorism Foundation is a recognized 501(c)3 organization.   To subscribe: http://www.investigativeproject.org/list_subscribe.php The Investigative Project on Terrorism 202-363-8602 - main 202-966-5191 - fax