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Iranian-Backed Militias Withdraw from Syria to Iraq as Embassy Staff Evacuate Damascus

Dec 8, 2024, 07:14 AM

Iranian-backed militias and foreign fighters have withdrawn from Syria to Iraq, according to sources cited by Al Arabiya. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed that all factions loyal to Iran have retreated to Iraq. This withdrawal coincides with reports from the New York Times indicating that Iran has begun evacuating its embassy staff in Damascus to Lebanon, Iraq, and Tehran. Iranian media reported that embassy staff left before an attack on the embassy, following the fall of the Tehran-allied government of Bashar al-Assad to Syrian armed opposition forces. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, stated that diplomats and staff evacuated the embassy early in the morning before an assault by unknown individuals, ensuring their safety.