Reports suggest that a significant number of Pakistani fighters have lost their lives as a result of Turkey's military operations in the Idlib region of northwestern Syria. These fighters are likely to have belonged to the Liwa Zainebiyoun: Iranian-backed Pakistani fighters who are known to have been heavily involved in fighting on behalf of the Assad government in Syria.
A Facebook page associated with the Liwa Zainebiyoun shared a poster of some 47 fighters on 01 March 2020. They are believed to have lost their lives as Turkey stepped up its strikes around Idlib.
Military operations have picked up pace in the region after Assad's forces and allies, with Russian support, advanced on the last rebel-held stronghold in Idlib. Turkey has responded with a series of strikes to stem the Syrian government forces' advance.
The Zainebiyoun are recruited, armed and trained by Iran's Quds Force, the special operations branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Hundreds of Pakistani fighters have been deployed in Syria to help the Damascus-based government fight its enemies in the country. They join contingents from a number of countries, including Lebanese, Afghans and others. One of the first major known deployments of the Zainebiyoun was to defend the Sayyidah Zaynab mosque in Damascus.
Fighters of Pakistani origin are known to have fought on both sides of the Syrian civil war: for the Assad government as well as its jihadist enemies.