Iran accused of fostering proxy groups in Syria for its interests: Washington Post

Iran has fostered a wide array of proxy groups including Algeria-based Polisario Front in Syria over the years to advance its interests, reported US based newspaper the Washington Post, quoting regional and European officials.

“Over the years, Iran has fostered a wide array of proxy groups to advance its interests. Iran, for instance, trained fighters from the Algeria-based Polisario Front, a militant group fighting for the independence of the Western Sahara from Morocco, with hundreds now detained by Syria’s new security forces,” said the report referring to a regional official and another European official.

In Palmyra, home to the breathtaking ruins of one of the most important cities in the ancient world, the fall of Assad’s regime has helped reveal the scale of Iran-backed militias in Syria, said the report.

According to the report, after ousting Assad, Syria’s new rulers have been stamping out the “land bridge” that Iran used to project regional power by arming Hezbollah and other allies.