(JPost) — Hezbollah forces were activated in Syria to prevent the takeover of sensitive Iranian assets in the region by anti-government protesters, a senior official in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said Sunday.

Speaking to Arab news outlet Al-Arabiya, the official said that an Iranian representative had visited Syria to coordinate the assistance, adding that Hezbollah responded swiftly to the request for assistance.

Rebel groups have had some success against Assad-loyalist troops, and have managed to take control of several towns near Damascus. Assad’s crackdown on protesters has resulted in the deaths of more than 5,000 people, according to UN estimates.