Iran 'withdrawing from Syria' - Western military officials

Iran has started to withdraw its elite forces from Syria, US and other Western military officials told Bloomberg on Friday.

According to the officials, the decision was taken following a number of deaths and injuries among senior Iranian military figures in the Idlib Governate in northwestern Syria, as well as in Halab and other areas. The withdrawal is expected to be a significant loss for Russia, who is leading the battle on Syrian President Bashar Assad's side, and for whom Iran is an important ally. 

Qassem Suleimani, the commander of the foreign operations wing of Iran's Revolutionary Guards Quds Force, was injured several weeks ago while fighting in the Syrian civil war. Iran has denied rumors of his death.