According to local sources, tensions between elements of the Assad regime’s military and security divisions and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have escalated in Deir Ezzor’s Bukamal.
While the Fourth Division, led by Maher Assad, the brother of Bashar Assad, has received significant Iranian support, conflicts have arisen between the group and the IRGC over control of profitable checkpoints and drug trafficking.
In the past week, clashes and skirmishes have occurred between the two factions, with the IRGC on one side and the Military Security Branch and Fourth Division on the other. These clashes have taken place throughout the governorate of Deir Ezzor, including the city and its suburbs.
One incident took place last week at a checkpoint in Bukamal, where both sides fired into the air and closed the street during the confrontation. Another skirmish ensued when the Fourth Division confiscated a motorcycle belonging to an IRGC member. Witnesses reported that individuals involved in these altercations displayed unusual behavior and mannerisms that suggested possible drug use or intoxication.
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