Fatemiyoun Division

The Fatemiyoun Division (FD) is a Hazara Shiite Militia fighting in Syria comprised mainly of Afghan refugees recruited from Iran and Afghanistan. The group is directed by Iran’s Qods Force, which, along with Hizballah also provides support and training. Originally deployed to protect Shia shrines in Syria, in November 2017, the group vowed to continue to fight alongside the “axis of resistance” to annihilate Israel. The FD is also active in parts of Afghanistan where it has fought mostly against anti-Shia Muslim or anti-Iranian groups. On December 24, 2019, Iranian-recruited Afghans affiliated with FD posted a video showing them near the Golan Heights and claiming that they had come to fight the “Zionists.”