Mohsen Hojaji

Mohsen Hojaji (; 12 July 1991 – 9 August 2017) was an Iranian military officer. He served as an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) adviser to the pro-government forces in Syria during the Syrian Civil War. He was captured by the Islamic State forces near al-Tanf in southeast Syria, and was beheaded two days later. The Islamic State published a video of his capture, a picture of which went viral among Iranians in social media. His captivity and subsequent murder received widespread reaction among the Iranian people, government, and military.

Biography Mohsen Hojaji was an officer in the IRGC operating in Syria as part of an advisory team to the Syrian government forces during the Syrian Civil War. On 7 August 2017, ISIL led a surprise attack near al-Tanf, Syria near the Syrian-Iraqi border against a pro-government outpost comprising IRGC military advisers, including Hojaji. After two hours of fighting, an ISIS suicide bomber killed a number of people. Hojaji was wounded in his side and the right arm, according to the commander of his division, and was taken as captive after being surrounded by ISIS militants. ISIS published videos of the attack and of Hojaji's capture.

A still image from the second video went viral on social media. It shows an ISIS fighter with a knife at hand holding Hojaji, who is dressed in military uniform and calmly gazing at the camera, with black smoke rising from the overtaken camp. Many compared the expressions of the ISIS fighter who looks "anxious", with that of Hojaji. and the Iranian Army. Many Iranian celebrities, artists, and sports people also reacted to the incident, such as the footballer Mehdi Taremi, singer and musician Alireza Assar, and Rambod Javan. and Iraqi cleric and politician Ammar al-Hakim. Hezbollah received Hojaji's body from Islamic State based on a ceasefire deal between the two sides. The transfer of Lebanon's captured soldiers and remains of the dead, as well as Hojaji's body, took place after the buses carrying Islamic State militants and their families arrived in the ancient city of Palmyra in Homs. The funeral began from the Imam Hussein square in downtown Tehran. Ali Khamenei prayed over Hojaji's casket and spoke to his family, praising their fortitude. Many Iranian artists memorialized his death in videos and paintings.

Following the funeral procession, Hojaji was buried on September 28, 2017. He was buried in his hometown of Najaf Abad in Isfahan Province in central Iran.