Syrian rebels reportedly get first heavy weapons from Saudi Arabia

PanARMENIAN.Net - The first new heavy weapons have arrived on Syria’s front lines following President Barack Obama’s decision to put Western military might behind the official opposition, rebels have told The Daily Telegraph.

Rebel sources said Russian-made Konkurs anti-tank missiles had been supplied by America’s key Gulf ally, Saudi Arabia. They have already been used to destructive effect and may have held up a promised assault on Aleppo.

A handful of the missiles were already in use and in high demand after opposition forces looted them from captured bases, The Daily Telegraph says.

More have now arrived, confirming reports that the White House has lifted an unofficial embargo on its Gulf allies sending heavy weapons to the rebels.

Last week, the White House stated it would send military support to Syria’s opposition after concluding that President Bashar al-Assad’s forces had used chemical agents against them.

Unlike rocket-propelled grenades, the Konkurs – Contest in English – can penetrate the Assad’s most advanced tanks, Russian-made T72s.

“We now have supplies from Saudi Arabia,” a rebel source said. “We have been told more weapons are on their way, even higher-end missiles.”

At the G8 this week Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, condemned the West’s attempts to send arms to the opposition, even though he did not rule out fulfilling existing arms contracts with the regime.

Meanwhile, on Syria’s front lines, rebels are already using Russian missiles to destroy the regime’s Russian tanks.