Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Qassem Soleimani Injured Superficially in Syria

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a security official have stated that Qassem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force, has sustained "superficial injuries" during the battle against Syrian rebels near Aleppo. The recent reports come after the public relations office of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially announced that Mr. Soleimani is "in perfect health." On November 23, a report on the Debka website, based in Jerusalem, claimed, citing "close sources," that the Quds Force commander had been "killed." This news followed an increase in casualties among the IRGC in battles in Syria, which eventually prompted an official response from the IRGC. However, on December 4, the French news agency quoted the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, and a security official present in Syria, emphasizing that he "was injured a few days ago." Rami Abdulrahman, the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, stated that the commander of the IRGC's external branch was injured near "Al-Ass" in southern Aleppo, sustaining superficial wounds. According to Mr. Abdulrahman, Soleimani was injured while "leading an operation on the outskirts of Al-Ass, an area controlled by government-supporting forces [of Bashar al-Assad]." He added that "a large number of Iranian forces are present in this area." The head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned that rebel groups have been conducting operations since Saturday to push back Bashar al-Assad's forces from areas in southern Aleppo, which, according to this organization, have fallen to Assad's forces with the help of Iranian military forces, Hezbollah, and Russian airstrikes. Last month, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the U.S. Army stated that Iran has "less than two thousand military forces" in Syria to assist Bashar al-Assad's army. Iran claims that its forces' presence in Syria is solely for "advisory" purposes. In this context, several other members of the IRGC have been killed in Syria. The IRGC denied the reports of Qassem Soleimani's death in Syria, with an official response stating that he is "in perfect health."