Iran repopulates Syria with Shia Muslims to help tighten regime's control

New communities are settling in areas where Sunnis have fled or been forced out as Tehran seeks an arc of control stretching from its borders to Israel

By Martin Chulov
The Guardian 
January 14, 2017

https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/13/irans-syria-project-pushing-population-shifts-to-increase-influence