YOCHANAN VISSER: Assad has now granted Syrian citizenship to thousands of Iranians and Shiites from Pakistan and Afghanistan who fought alongside the Syrian army, and who will settle in southern Syria.
the Syrian government has issued 200,000 passports to members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and other Shiite fighters and their families.
the number of Syrian identity cards issued to Iranian, Afghan and Pakastani Shiites was 2 million.