Pro-Government Militias
Sariyya al-Tali'a al-Khurasani (The Vanguards of Khurasani Unit) (Syria)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 548 |
| Country: | Syria |
| Date formed: | Sept. 24, 2013 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The group was first announced on 24 September 2013 on Facebook. The group’s first page was made “private” and a mirror page was created, providing similar information. The mirror page first formally announced the group’s creation on 8 October 2013 on Facebook. It is unclear when the group was formed and whether the announcement and the creation date coincide. |
| Date dissolved: | Unknown |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | |
| Termination Type(s): | not terminated |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | unclear |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | unclear |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | no |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no |
| Shared Personnel: | no |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | Foreign government; foreign support |
| State Sponsor(s): | Iran |
| Other Connection(s): | Iranian Revolutionary Guards |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | ethnic; religious; foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Damascus, East Ghouta front |
| Force Strength: | [20, unknown] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; protect state, national or religious leader(s); fight insurgents |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | Shi'a Arabs (Iraq) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | given |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The sources do not explicitly mention a direct link to the Syrian regime. The group is coded as PGM due to the similarities with other Iranian-backed Iraqi militias operating in Syria, which are reportedly pro-Assad. The Sariyya al-Tali'a al-Khurasani (STK) promotes Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, adhere to his ideology and swear him loyalty. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | Similarly to other Shia militias in Syria, the STK defends the Sayyida Zaynab shrine and promotes general pro-Iranian pan-Shia narratives. They fight against insurgents. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: | The exact number of STK fighters is unknown. Their photographs indicate that the group has over twenty members. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The STK uses Kalashnikov-type rifles, SVD-type sniper rifles, RPG-7s and PKM-type machine guns, as well as light mortars. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The group’s commander is Ali al-Yasiri, who is possibly linked to Sayyid Muhammed Jawad al-Madrasi, a Shia cleric. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.