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IRGC Syria commander removed 'upon request from Assad'

The future of Iran’s presence in Syria seems to be dividing the Syrian leadership.
Members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps march during the annual military parade marking the anniversary of the outbreak of the Iraq-Iran War, Tehran, Iran, Sept. 22, 2018.

Until a few weeks ago, he was among the strongest men in Syria — if not the strongest — but Javad Ghaffari’s last battle in the war-torn country was this time with no one other than the ruling elite he came to the country to defend.

“He became a liability,” an official Syrian source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity. “The time has changed, and he still wants to act as per the rules of war, when the war is almost over.”

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