Iran pays Afghan refugees $500 a month to fight in Syria

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Iran pays Afghan refugees $500 a month to fight in Syria

By Ghanizada - Fri May 16 2014, 11:23 am

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According to reports, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has been recruiting thousands of Afghan refugees to fight against the rebel forces in Syria.
The Afghan refugees are also granted Iranian residency, $500 a month, school registration for their children and charity card to help the Assad regime, according to Afghan and Western officials.
An Afghan religious leader Ayatullah Mohaghegh Kabul has confirmed that the Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran convince the Afghan youth to fight in Syria.
“They give them everything from salary to residency,” Ayatullah Kabul quoted in a report by Wall Street Journal said.
Iran has played a key role by funding, training, arming and sending foot soldiers in a bid to keep President Bashar al-Assad in power since the conflict began in Syria three years ago.
Several Afghan refugees have reportedly been killed in Syria conflict with reports of funeral for the Afghan recruits emerging in November last year.
A video also circulated in internet earlier last year which showed the dead bodies of several foreign fighters in Syria including Afghan nationals.
Syria armed opposition forces claimed in the video that the dead bodies belong to Iran however an Afghan identity card could also be seen with one of the victim.
The deceased individual was recognized as Safar Mohammad son of Khan Ali and was the resident of northern Balkh province of Afghanistan.

http://www.khaama.com/iran-pays-afghan-refugees-500-a-month-to-fight-in-syria-6107

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Parliament Fuming After Report of Iran Recruiting Afghans to Syria


Saturday, 17 May 2014 19:05 Last Updated on Saturday, 17 May 2014 20:57 Written by Rateb Noori


A report of Afghan immigrants in Iran being recruited and paid to join pro-government forces in the Syrian civil war sparked outrage at Parliament in Kabul this week.

Based on an investigations, the Iranian government, often through proxies, has paid $500 to impoverished Afghan immigrants in Iran to join their paramilitary forces in Syria fighting in favor of President Bashar al-Assad.

MPs on Saturday claimed Iran was exploiting the desperation of Afghans living in Iran.

"Iran is taking advantage of their poverty and is sending them to fight in Syria," Bamyan MP Safora Ilkhani said. "We condemn this action of Iran and we are strongly against it."

Iran and Afghan relations have frayed at times over the issue of Afghan immigrants and refugees. Afghan officials have often complained of mistreatment and neglect, particularly in the case of refugees. But most recently, tensions heightened after Iran executed a number of Afghan drug smugglers against the wishes of the Kabul government.
Kunduz MP Shukria Paikan on Saturday was incensed by the report. "Weren't the previous cruelties, such as torture, hanging, imprisonment and addiction enough?"
"Today, they are sending our youth to fight their battle in Syria for them," Paikan said.
All together, MPs were adamant that the Afghan government further investigate the matter.
"It is Afghan government's responsibility to obtain documents and evidence of this matter and talk with the Iranian government to prevent it," Balkh MP Ahmad Farhad Azimi said.
The report of Afghans in Iran being recruited to fight in Syria originated from a Wall Street Journal investigation. The report stated that in return of $500 per month and education opportunities for their children, Afghan immigrants have been hired to fight against anti-government groups in Syria.
Afghan religious leaders based in Qum have since confirmed the accuracy of the WSJ report.
The Iranian Embassy in Kabul declined to comment when contacted by TOLOnews.

http://www.tolonews.com/en/afghanistan/14898-parliament-fuming-after-report-of-iran-recruiting-afghans-to-syria

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Recruitment of Afghans by Iran for Syria conflict yet to be confirmed: MOFA

By Ghanizada - Mon May 19 2014, 9:56 pm

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The ministry of foreign affairs of Afghanistan said Monday that the recruitment of Afghans for Syrian conflict has not confirmed yet.
Ahmad Shekib Mostaghni, spokesman for the foreign affairs ministry of Afghanistan said the government is currently engaged in investigation of alleged recruitment of Afghan refugees to fight in Syria.
Mostaghni further added that no formal report or evidence has been presented to the government of Afghanistan to prove the recruitment of Afghans in Syria conflict.
He said the government of Afghanistan will condemn the act if it was proved that the Afghan refugees are recruited to fight in Syria since it will be against the refugees’ rights and convention.
According to reports, around two million Afghan refugees are currently based in Iran and recent reports suggest that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps has recruited thousands of Afghan refugees to fight against the rebel forces in Syria.
Afghan refugees are also granted Iranian residency, $500 a month, school registration for their children and charity card to help the Assad regime, an Afghan religious leader Ayatullah Mohaghegh Kabuli quoted by The Wall Street Journal said.
However, the office of Ayatullah Mohaghegh Kabuli rejected that the recruitment of Afghans by Iran was confirmed by him.
Kabul following a statement urged all parties involved in Syria conflict to prevent further skirmish between the Shi’ites and Sunnis in Syria.

http://www.khaama.com/recruitment-of-afghans-by-iran-for-syria-conflict-yet-to-be-confirmed-mofa-6120

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Home » Afghanistan » Iran rejects recruitment of Afghan refugees for Syria war

Iran rejects recruitment of Afghan refugees for Syria war

By Ghanizada - Tue May 20 2014, 9:59 pm

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Iran on Tuesday rejected reports regarding the recruitment of Afghan refugees to fight in Syria.
The ministry of foreign affairs of Iran rejected the report as “completely baseless” and said such claims are aimed at “damaging Iran’s face in Afghanistan.”
Marziye Afkham, spokeswoman for the foreign ministry of Iran quoted by Fars News Agency said, “The claim by the American paper is completely baseless and is aimed at damaging Iran’s face in Afghanistan.”
Afkham further added that the report “induces a fully inhuman look at the citizens of the friendly and neighboring country of Afghanistan”.
She said the Afghan officials have also rejected this allegation. “The report is an insult to the Afghan people and the Wall Street Journal needs to extend its apology to the people of Afghanistan for this insult,” Afkham added.
The ministry of foreign affairs of Afghanistan also said Monday that the recruitment of Afghans for Syrian conflict has not been confirmed yet and the government is currently engaged in investigation of alleged recruitment of Afghan refugees to fight in Syria.
This comes as the wall Street Journal in its report said that the Afghan refugees are granted Iranian residency, $500 a month, school registration for their children and charity card by Iran to help the Assad regime.

http://www.khaama.com/iran-rejects-recruitment-of-afghans-to-fight-in-syria-6124