Kioumars Pourhashemi
Kioumars Pourhashemi | |
|---|---|
| Died | 28 November 2024 Aleppo, Syria |
| Allegiance | Iran |
| Branch | IRGC |
| Rank | Second brigadier general |
| Commands | Quds Force |
| Battles / wars | |
Kioumars Pourhashemi (Persian: کیومرث پورهاشمی; died 28 November 2024), also known by his nom de guerre Haji Hashem, was an Iranian military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).[1][2] He served as an IRGC military advisor to the Syrian Army during the Syrian civil war, and was killed in action shortly before the Battle of Aleppo of 2024.
History
Pourhashemi was an Iranian IRGC–Quds Force military officer who had served in the Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s. By 2024, he served as an Iranian military advisor to Syria.[3] At the time, he was reportedly the leading Iranian advisor in the country.[4]
As a result of his importance, Pourhashemi attended a high-level meeting of pro-government commanders on 28 November 2024 when the Syrian opposition initiated large-scale offensives across northwestern Syria. The meeting rapidly deteriorated when Pourhashemi questioned the loyalty of a number of Syrian Arab Army officers after they complained about the poor state of their units.[4] According to eyewitnesses and CGTN, the dispute ultimately escalated into violence when one Syrian officer shot an AKM at Pourhashemi and a Hezbollah commander, killing the former and wounding the latter.[4][5] Those present knew that this killing would be disruptive for the pro-government forces' morale,[4] and thus initial reports were spread to attribute Pourhashemi's death to Tahrir al-Sham militants.[6][7][8] The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency just said he was killed by "Takfiri terrorists."[2]
However, the truth about Pourhashemi's killer quickly spread among Aleppo's garrison.[4] Researchers Hassan Hassan and Michael Weiss argued that Pourhashemi's death — along with a number of other senior officers — greatly contributed to the collapse of the loyalist defenses of Aleppo.[9] His demise reportedly encouraged several more mutinies among Syrian Arab Army troops and loyalist militias. Most notably, the Baqir Brigade's troops stood aside or outright defected to the rebels.[4][10]
References
- ^ Kioumars Pourhashemi, Historica
- ^ a b Akbari, Azadeh (28 November 2024). "IRGC commander killed in Syria amid largest rebel offensive since 2020". Iran International. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ "Iran commander killed in Syria amid clashes between government, opposition forces". Al Arabiya English. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 9 February 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f Suadad al-Salhy (5 February 2025). "How Syrian mutinies and betrayal sunk Iran's support for Assad". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 30 May 2025.
- ^ "Senior IRGC commander killed by Assad officer, not rebels - CGTN". Iran International. 22 December 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
On Sunday, December 22, the Chinese state-run CGTN's correspondent in Ankara reported, citing an Iranian security official, that Pourhashemi died after being shot by a Syrian officer during a meeting in a joint operations room in Aleppo.
- ^ "Iranian military advisor killed in terrorist attack in Syria". Tehran Times. 28 November 2024.
- ^ "Iranian Revolutionary Guards officer killed in Syria, - SNN report". The Jerusalem Post. Reuters. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Tekin, Esra. "Iranian general killed in Syria clashes between Assad regime, opposition forces". Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 4 December 2024.
- ^ Hassan Hassan; Michael Weiss (2 December 2024). "The Backstory Behind the Fall of Aleppo". New Lines Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
- ^ Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (17 February 2025). "The Northwest Syria Battles and the Local Defence Forces: Interview". Middle East Forum. Retrieved 30 May 2025.