Podcast appearances and mentions of phillip smyth

After a despotic reign of over five decades, marked by 13 years of bloody civil war that killed over half a million people and displaced millions more, the al-Assad dynasty's rule over Syria has come to a sudden, shocking end. In just under two weeks, rebel groups mounted an offensive that captured a string of major cities, culminating in the fall of Damascus with barely a shot being fired and Bashar al-Assad fleeing into exile in Moscow. It's difficult to understate what a complete sea change these events are for Syria and the Middle East. Today, Phillip Smyth returns to help us make sense of how this all unfolded so quickly, so unexpectedly, and what it means for Iran and its proxies like Lebanese Hezbollah, who propped up the Assad regime and counted on Syria as a hub to exert their influence throughout the region. Read Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/ Read Phillip's past work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Follow Phillip on Twitter/X: https://x.com/PhillipSmyth Relevant articles and reporting "The Backstory Behind the Fall of Aleppo" by Hassan Hassan and Michael Weiss | New Lines Magazine "Jihadi ‘Counterterrorism:' Hayat Tahrir al-Sham Versus the Islamic State" by Aaron Y. Zelin | CTC Sentinel Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) Backgrounder | Center for Strategic & International Studies "Syrian rebels reveal year-long plot that brought down Assad regime" by William Christou | The Guardian Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fultonmatt.bsky.social https://bsky.app/profile/chriscarrfilm.bsky.social Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird

In this special episode, Matt welcomes back Phillip Smyth just days after his last appearance to analyze another major development in the Middle East: the assassination of Hezbollah's secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, in a targeted Israeli airstrike. Nasrallah's death has sent shockwaves across Lebanon, Iran, and the wider network of Iran-backed militias, raising pressing questions about Hezbollah's future and its role in regional power dynamics. Phillip returns to help unpack the key players, their motives, and the potential fallout from this strike. Together, they examine Israel's strategic objectives, Iran's retaliatory actions, and the broader implications for the already fragile situation in the Middle East. They also explore the ongoing Israeli ground offensive and Iran's ballistic missile strikes in response. It's a rapidly evolving situation, so join Phillip and Matt as they break down the latest developments and consider what might come next. Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/. Phillip's work at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Follow Phillip on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth Relevant articles and reporting "Iran's Strikes on Israel Look Calculated to Shore Up Regional Alliance" by Erika Solomon | The New York Times "A Wider War in the Middle East, From Hamas to Hezbollah and Now Iran" by David E. Sanger | The New York Times "Israel Has Destroyed Half of Hezbollah's Arsenal, US and Israeli Officials Say" by Edward Wong, Julian E. Barnes & Eric Schmitt | The New York Times "Deep intelligence penetration enabled Israel to kill Hassan Nasrallah" by Dan Sabbagh | The Guardian "How Israel's bitter 2006 war with Hezbollah could shape possible Lebanon invasion" by Robert Tollast | The National Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Follow Chris and Matt on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/ChrisCarrFilm https://twitter.com/FultonMatt Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird

On today's episode, Phillip Smyth, the guru for all things related to Iranian proxy groups, returns to chat with Matt about the exploding pagers and radios that maimed thousands of Hezbollah members last week and the following wave of Israeli airstrikes targeting the group's long-range missile and drone forces. They discuss the implications for Hezbollah's communication networks and command structure and the broader impact these events will have on the regional war that's now consumed the Middle East for a year. Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/. Phillip's work at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Follow Phillip on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth Follow Matt on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/FultonMatt Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3/$4: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies Secrets and Spies is produced by Films & Podcasts LTD. Music by Andrew R. Bird

In today's special episode, Phillip Smyth, a leading expert on Iranian-backed militias, returns to dissect the latest wave of conflict in the Middle East. Recent escalations have claimed the lives of a dozen Israeli civilians and two senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. Retaliation from Iran and its allies is expected at any moment, leaving the region once again on the brink of a potentially more widespread and unrestrained war. Phillip sheds light on who these two men were and what their deaths mean for their organizations, parses the delicate messaging and maneuvering behind the scenes, and offers his insights on what Iran and Hezbollah's imminent response might entail. Phillip's work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth Reporting discussed in the episode "Who Is Fuad Shukr, Target of the Israeli Strike on Beirut?" by Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman & Euan Ward: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/30/world/middleeast/fuad-shukr-hezbollah-israel-strike.html "Bomb Smuggled Intro Tehran Guesthouse Months Ago Killed Hamas Leader" by Ronen Bergman, Mark Mazzetti & Farnaz Fassihi: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/world/middleeast/how-hamas-leader-haniyeh-killed-iran-bomb.html "Iran Arrests Dozens in Search for Suspects in Killing of Hamas Leader" by Farnaz Fassihi: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/03/world/middleeast/iran-security-response-hamas-assassination.html "Houthis Launch Deadly Drone Strike on Tel Aviv, Evading Israel's Defenses" by Gabby Sobelman, Aaron Boxerman, Ronen Bergman, Lara Jakes & Erin Mendel: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/19/world/middleeast/houthis-drone-strike-tel-aviv.html Support Secrets and Spies Become a “Friend of the Podcast” on Patreon for £3: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996 Subscribe to our YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com Connect with us on social media Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies Instagram: https://instagram.com/secretsandspies Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social Facebook: https://facebook.com/secretsandspies Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

On today's episode, Matt is once again joined by Phillip Smyth, one of the leading researchers of Iranian-backed militia groups, to discuss the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and several other senior officials in a helicopter crash last weekend. They unpack what this unexpected development means for Iran domestically, the regime's web of proxy forces, and the wider Middle East. Phillip's work for The Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/ Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth Support Secrets and Spies: Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u   Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/ Connect with us on social media. BLUE SKY https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/secretsandspies/ SPOUTIBLE   https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

On today's episode, Matt welcomes back Phillip Smyth, one of the leading researchers of Iranian-backed militia groups in the Middle East. This time, they discuss last month's exchange of missiles, drones, and airstrikes between Israel and Iran. Phillip helps unpack what triggered this latest cycle of violence, gauge Iran's intent behind an unprecedented attack against Israel itself, and look ahead at how it may impact the war in Gaza and the wider conflict throughout the region. Phillip's work for The Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth Phillip's work for West Point's Combatting Terrorism Center: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/authors/phillip-smyth/ Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth Support Secrets and Spies:  Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u   Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/  Connect with us on social media.  BLUE SKY https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/secretsandspies/ SPOUTIBLE   https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

Phillip Smyth, a leading researcher of Iranian-backed militia groups, returns to Secrets and Spies to unpack the January 28th drone attack against a US military outpost in Jordan that killed three service members and the resulting round of airstrikes beginning on February 2nd targeting the militias believed to be responsible. He gives his take on the degree of Iranian control over these militias, analyzes the effectiveness of the US response thus far, and tells us what, if anything, can be done to deter future attacks. Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth. Find Phillip's work for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth. Explore Phillip's Shia Militia Mapping Project: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/shia-militia-mapping-project. Support Secrets and Spies:  Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u   Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/  Connect with us on social media.  BLUE SKY https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/secretsandspies/ SPOUTIBLE   https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

On today's episode, Matt is joined again by Phillip Smyth. Phillip is a leading expert on Iranian proxy groups, such as Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, and has conducted research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the University of Maryland. They discuss the spate of attacks by Iranian-backed militias against US forces in the Middle East since the Gaza War began. Phillip tells us who these groups are, what their strategy is, and if he sees potential for the violence to escalate. Phillip's research at the Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth. Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth. If you enjoyed the podcast please support the show and get access to our new Patreon-only show, "Extra Shot." Go to the Secrets & Spies Patreon page and subscribe there to get access: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Check out Chris's short spy film “THE DRY CLEANER” which is now available to buy on Apple TV & Amazon Prime. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/  Support Secrets and Spies:    * Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg * Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies * You can buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u Connect with us on social media.  BLUE SKY https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/secretsandspies/ SPOUTIBLE   https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

On today's episode, Matt is joined by Phillip Smyth. Phillip is a leading expert on Iranian-backed terrorist groups, such as Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah, and has conducted research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy and the University of Maryland. They discuss Hamas's attack on southern Israel, the question of Iran's involvement, and the potential for the war to expand throughout the Middle East. Content Warning: This episode contains some graphic descriptions of atrocities Hamas committed against Israeli civilians during the October 7th terrorist attack. Phillip's research at the Washington Institute: https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/experts/phillip-smyth. Follow Phillip on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PhillipSmyth. Get access to our new Patreon-only show, "Extra Shot." Go to the Secrets & Spies Patreon page and subscribe there to get access: www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies Find out more about Matt and his book “Active Measures”  https://mattfulton.net/ Check out Chris's short spy film “THE DRY CLEANER” which is now available to buy on Apple TV & Amazon Prime. Watch the trailer here: https://youtu.be/j_KFTJenrz4 For more information about the podcast, check out our website: https://secretsandspiespodcast.com/  Support Secrets and Spies:    * Subscribe to our Youtube page: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDVB23lrHr3KFeXq4VU36dg * Become a “Friend of the podcast”  on Patreon for £3 www.patreon.com/SecretsAndSpies * You can buy merchandise from our shop: https://www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/60934996?asc=u Connect with us on social media.  BLUE SKY https://bsky.app/profile/secretsandspies.bsky.social TWITTER twitter.com/SecretsAndSpies FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/secretsandspies INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/secretsandspies/ SPOUTIBLE   https://spoutible.com/SecretsAndSpies

James Sorene speaks to Brig. Gen. Michael Herzog about Israel’s ongoing battle against Iran in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq and Ronie Gazit speaks to Phillip Smyth from the Washington Institute for Near East Policy about Shia militias in Iraq and Iran’s wider militia strategy in the middle east.

Phillip Smyth takes us on a deep dive into the world of the Hashd al-Shaabi, the Iranian backed militias (also known as the PMU, PMF, and "Shia Militias") fighting in Iraq. They've documented their own war crimes, shot unarmed protesters, and have been building the groundwork for their movement for years... So who are they?   - www.patreon.com/popularfront - www.popularfront.co - www.twitter.com/jake_hanrahan - www.instagram.com/popular.front  

Phillip Smyth discusses Iranian backed Shia militias in Iraq with a focus on the recent Iraqi parliamentary elections. The interview today was conducted by Chelsea Daymon, and the show is produced by Chelsea Daymon and Sina Kashefipour. If you have enjoyed listening to The Loopcast please consider making a donation to the show through our Patreon. We greatly appreciate it.

Yochi, Jenn, and Zack talk about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s over-the-top media blitz designed to sway President Trump to nix the Iran nuclear deal and about how Israel’s shadow conflict with Iran is threatening to explode into a new Mideast war. On Elsewhere, they discuss the Ukrainian government’s abrupt decision to stop cooperating with the Mueller probe after Trump agreed to sell the country advanced US-made missiles. Yochi awards Paul Manafort the gold medal in the Trump Corruption Olympics, Jenn insists ledgers are “sexy,” and Zack busts out some Latin. Links: We spent the first part of the episode discussing this powerpoint speech from Netanyahu, but you can watch it in full here. You can also watch Netanyahu’s full Fox and Friends interview. Zack wrote a piece about that interview, if you’d like some more background and context. We reference it a few times in the show. And here’s Zack’s piece about the IAEA report that already documented a lot of the things covered in Netanyahu’s presentation. Yochi mentioned that he’d covered the finalization of the Iran deal under President Obama. Zack has also covered the Iran deal and was suspicious of claims that the Obama administration made. We got a bit technical this episode about Iran building bases, so here’s some more background information on that. Yochi mentioned Neri Zilber’s piece about Iran and Israel’s shadow war. You can read that piece in full here. Jenn and Zack were talking about the ways that the history of the Iranian regime informs its approach to the Iran deal and to Israel. Here’s a reading suggestion from Jenn on that. Here’s the 2015 Foreign Policy piece by Phillip Smyth that Jenn mentioned about Iran’s plans to use Syria as a new front in its fight against Israel Yochi quoted a Ukrainian official at the beginning of Elsewhere. That quote came from this New York Times piece. For a slightly different take on Ukraine’s intelligence sharing with the Mueller investigation, read this New York magazine piece.   The team talked about Michael Cohen’s many, many scams. And here’s more about the mystery of who took pro-Ukrainian language out of the Republican Party’s 2016 platform.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phillip Smyth discusses Shia militias in Syria and Iraq. The interview today was conducted by Chelsea Daymon, and the show is produced by Chelsea Daymon and Sina Kashefipour. If you have enjoyed listening to The Loopcast please consider making a donation to the show through our Patreon. We greatly appreciate it.

Iraq has made surprising gains in its effort to undermine or eliminate Kurdish autonomy since mid-October when we first visited this issue. Phillip Smyth joins me again to look at recent developments and the potential implications. Phillip Smyth is a researcher at the University of Maryland who focuses on Iran-backed Shiite proxy groups. He is also […]

Phillip Smyth is a researcher at the University of Maryland who focuses on Iran-backed Shiite proxy groups. He is also widely known for his Hizballah Cavalcade project on Jihadology. Phillip joined me, with very short notice, to push out this look at the complexities surrounding the Kurdish drive for independence and how that looks to play out given […]

Phillip Smyth is a researcher at the University of Maryland who focuses on Iran-backed Shiite proxy groups. He is also well-known for his Hizballah Cavalcade project on Jihadology. In episode 70 Phillip joins me for a quick look at how the change in U.S. leadership is impacting the balance of sectarian power and our policy toward Iran. Are […]

Phillip Smyth adjunct at the Washington institute on Near East policy and researcher at the university of Maryland

Hudson Institute hosts a panel on the burgeoning conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia with Ali Alfoneh, Michael Doran, Phillip Smyth, and Lee Smith.

Hudson Institute hosts a panel on the burgeoning conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia with Ali Alfoneh, Michael Doran, Phillip Smyth, and Lee Smith.

Om de tusentals afghanska ungdomar som kom till Sverige i höstas och hur deras flykt hänger ihop med kriget i Syrien. En återutsändning av Konflikt från den 24 oktober 2014. Under 2015 kom tiotusentals ensamkommande afghaner till Sverige. Men de flesta kom inte direkt från Afghanistan, utan uppgav att de har bott i grannlandet Iran. Där lever 2-3 miljoner afghanska flyktingar och endast en minoritet av dom har flyktingstatus. Det innebär en ständig kamp för tillfälliga id-kort, skolgång och jobb.Och mycket tyder på att den pressade situationen för afghanerna får unga män att, frivilligt eller med tvång, ansluta sig till Irans shia-miliser i krigets Syrien.Mehdi, som är 14 år, berättar att hans pappa som är analfabet, satte sitt fingeravtryck på ett papper som han trodde gav familjen rätt till lite mat och förnödenheter. Några veckor senare knackade rekryterarna på dörren och berättade att pappan genom sitt fingeravtryck gett sitt medgivande till att han själv och sonen, skulle åka och strida i Syrien. Mehdi flydde och har varit ett par veckor här i Sverige när han berättar sin historia för Konflikts reporter Gilda Hamidi-Nia. Hans vittnesmål är långt ifrån det enda i sitt slag. 18-åriga Ehsan i Göteborg är orolig för sin lillebror som är kvar i Iran och 21-åriga Ayoob som kliver av tåget från Malmö har precis flytt milisens rekryteringar och sin egen familjs önskan om att han ska bli martyr.Det unga män och ensamkommande barn nu berättar här i Sverige är en del av ett spel på en mycket högre nivå. Sedan en vecka tillbaka pågår en storskalig framryckning i Syrien där Iran är en av huvudspelarna på Assad-regimens sida. Nader Hashemi, chef för Denver-universitetets center för Mellanösternstudier menar att Irans engagemang i Syrien är helt central för regimens överlevnad. Och de afghanska marksoldaterna skickas fram som kanonmat, säger Phillip Smyth, professor vid Marylanduniversitetet i USA som länge följt shiamilisernas roll i kriget. Reporter Ivar Ekman.Med hjälp av persisktalande journalistkollegor i Sverige och Iran får vi en rapport från en begravningsceremoni för martyrer i Irans heliga stad Qom och letar propagandaspår på internet.Och så besöker vi ett pojkrum i en lugn Stockholmsförort. 16-åriga Poya och Majid försöker hitta sig själva hos sin nya familjehemsmamma samtidigt som dom kämpar med rasism och minnet av barnarbete och vänner som inte såg något annat val än att ge sig in i döden. Reporter Ulrika Bergqvist.Konflikt har varit i kontakt med Irans ambassad i Sverige som dementerar uppgifterna om tvångsrekrytering av minderåriga.Programledare: Ivar Ekman ivar.ekman@sr.se Producent: Ulrika Bergqvist ulrika.bergquist@sr.se

Om de hundratals afghanska ungdomar som kommer till Sverige varje dag. Varför kommer så många just nu? Hör röster från Göteborg, Qom och Aleppo om hur barnens flykt hänger ihop med kriget i Syrien. Hittills i år har det kommit fler än 11.000 ensamkommande afghaner till Sverige. Men de flesta av dom kommer inte direkt från Afghanistan, utan uppger att dom har bott i grannlandet Iran. Där lever 2-3 miljoner afghanska flyktingar och endast en minoritet av dom har flyktingstatus. Det innebär en ständig kamp för tillfälliga id-kort, skolgång och jobb. Och nu kommer vittnesmål om att den pressade situationen för afghanerna får unga män att, frivilligt eller med tvång, ansluta sig till Irans shia-miliser i den pågående offensiven i Syrien. Mehdi, som är 14 år, berättar att hans pappa som är analfabet, satte sitt fingeravtryck på ett papper som han trodde gav familjen rätt till lite mat och förnödenheter. Några veckor senare knackade rekryterarna på dörren och berättade att pappan genom sitt fingeravtryck gett sitt medgivande till att han själv och sonen, skulle åka och strida i Syrien. Mehdi flydde och har varit ett par veckor här i Sverige när han berättar sin historia för Konflikts reporter Gilda Hamidi-Nia. Hans vittnesmål är långt ifrån det enda i sitt slag. 18-åriga Ehsan i Göteborg är orolig för sin lillebror som är kvar i Iran och 21-åriga Ayoob som kliver av tåget från Malmö har precis flytt milisens rekryteringar och sin egen familjs önskan om att han ska bli martyr. Det unga män och ensamkommande barn nu berättar här i Sverige är en del av ett spel på en mycket högre nivå. Sedan en vecka tillbaka pågår en storskalig framryckning i Syrien där Iran är en av huvudspelarna på Assad-regimens sida. Nader Hashemi, chef för Denver-universitetets center för Mellanösternstudier menar att Irans engagemang i Syrien är helt central för regimens överlevnad. Och de afghanska marksoldaterna skickas fram som kanonmat, säger Phillip Smyth, professor vid Marylanduniversitetet i USA som länge följt shiamilisernas roll i kriget. Reporter Ivar Ekman. Med hjälp av persisktalande journalistkollegor i Sverige och Iran får vi en rapport från en begravningsceremoni för martyrer i Irans heliga stad Qom och letar propagandaspår på internet. Och så besöker vi ett pojkrum i en lugn Stockholmsförort. 16-åriga Poya och Majid försöker hitta sig själva hos sin nya familjehemsmamma samtidigt som dom kämpar med rasism och minnet av barnarbete och vänner som inte såg något annat val än att ge sig in i döden. Reporter Ulrika Bergqvist. Konflikt har varit i kontakt med Irans ambassad i Sverige som dementerar uppgifterna om tvångsrekrytering av minderåriga. Programledare: Ivar Ekman ivar.ekman@sr.se Producent: Ulrika Bergqvist ulrika.bergquist@sr.se

Phillip Smyth discusses Shiite foreign fighters and the Shiite jihad. You can read his in-depth paper on this topic via the link below: The Shiite Jihad in Syria and Its Regional Effects Further reading and research can be found at: Hizballah Cavalcade

The first Covert Contact interview features University of Maryland Laboratory for Computational Cultural Dynamics researcher Phillip Smyth. Phillip is also well known for his Hizballah Cavalcade project on Jihadology. Phillip specializes in Shia militias, and we touch on that topic, but most of the interview is spent looking at the big challenges we face in […]

In this In Homeland Security podcast, William Tucker, Chief Correspondent for In Homeland Security, and Phillip Smyth, a researcher for the University of Maryland and expert on Syria and Lebanon, discuss the potential for a response to a U.S. punitive strike against the Syrian regime.