Saudi began supplying anti-aircraft missiles to Syria rebels

[Bubblegum Crisis]

It's ’almost’ official. ^^

Saudi supplying missiles to Syria rebels-Gulf source

By Amena Bakr
Mon, 17 Jun 2013 12:59 PM

DUBAI, June 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia, a staunch opponent of President Bashar al-Assad since early in Syria's conflict, began supplying anti-aircraft missiles to rebels "on a small scale" about two months ago, a Gulf source said on Monday.

The shoulder-fired weapons were obtained mostly from suppliers in France and Belgium, the source told Reuters. France had paid for the transport of the weapons to the region.

The supplies were intended for General Salim Idriss, leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), who was still the kingdom's main "point man" in the opposition, the source said.

The Gulf source said without elaborating that the kingdom had begun taking a more active role in the Syrian conflict in recent weeks due to the intensification of the conflict.

A foreign ministry spokesman was not immediately available for comment.

King Abdullah returned to Saudi Arabia on Friday after cutting short a holiday in Morocco to deal with what state media described as "repercussions of the events that the region is currently witnessing".

Diplomatic sources in the kingdom say Riyadh has grown increasingly concerned after the entry of Lebanese Shi'ite militia Hezbollah into the conflict and the subsequent rebel defeat in Qusair.

Speaking to Reuters on Friday, Idriss urged Western allies to supply anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles and to create a no-fly zone, saying if properly armed he could defeat Assad's army within six months.

Idriss said his forces urgently needed heavier weapons in the northern city of Aleppo, where Assad's government has said its troops are preparing a massive assault.


DIPLOMATIC ACTIVITY

Syria's civil war grew out of protests that swept across the Arab world in 2011, becoming by far the deadliest of those uprisings and the most difficult to resolve.

Just months ago, Western countries believed Assad's days were numbered. But momentum on the battlefield has turned in his favour, making the prospect of his swift removal and an end to the bloodshed appear remote without outside intervention.

The reported Saudi supplies began shortly before its main Western ally the United States announced it would likely send arms to Syrian rebels, a development long encouraged by Riyadh.

Top Saudi princes have been shuttling from one ally to another in recent weeks for meetings about Syria.

The epicentre of this activity was Paris, visited by Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef in May, intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan and Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal this month.

Saudi Arabian National Guard Minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah is there this week after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara. Crown Prince Salman met British Defence Secretary Phillip Hammond in Jeddah in early June.

Diplomatic sources in Riyadh said Saudi Arabia, France and Britain shared common ground on pushing Washington to take more decisive action against Assad.

Saudi Arabia has led Arab opposition to Assad since early in Syria's revolution. It was the first country to cut diplomatic ties with Damascus last year and took an early lead in funding and arming the rebels and helping them logistically.

However, its support has always been tempered by concerns of blowback from the more militant Islamist groups spearheading the battle against Assad, diplomatic sources in Riyadh say.

Riyadh has spent years combating domestic militants who waged a bombing campaign against Saudi and U.S. targets last decade, after they returned from fighting under the Islamist banner in Afghanistan and Iraq. (Additional reporting by Angus McDowall, Editing by William Maclean and Jon Boyle)


Reuters

Flashback...

Saudi Arabia wants missiles for Syrian rebels

16 June 2013 - 13H34

AFP - Saudi Arabia plans to supply the Syrian opposition with anti-aircraft missiles to counter President Bashar al-Assad's air force, German news weekly Der Spiegel reported Sunday.

The article, citing a classified report received by the German foreign intelligence service and the German government last week, said Riyadh was looking at sending European-made Mistral-class MANPADS, or man-portable air-defence systems.

Der Spiegel noted the shoulder-launched surface-to-air missiles can target low-flying aircraft including helicopters and had given mujahideen fighters in Afghanistan a decisive edge against Soviet troops in the 1980s.

Saudi Arabia is a key supporter of the Syrian rebels and has long advocated providing them with better weaponry.

Washington vowed last week to send military aid to rebel forces trying to unseat Assad after saying it had proof that the regime had crossed a "red line" by using chemical weapons on a small scale.

The European Union lifted an embargo on arming the Syrian opposition last month, paving the way for greater Western support for rebels in a civil war that has claimed 93,000 lives.


France24 International News

MBDA Mistral MANPADS

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

From last week it was quite obvious that the FSA has got hyper offensive weapons to knock Hezbollah out. I honestly do know what Hezbollah is going to do, but personally I think they can't count of the SAA anymore except from the air, and the Iraqi militias are noobs that Al-Nusrah will be taking care of them at least for now.

 

[Kompromat]

@Yzd Khalifa

These are fixed MANPADs for point defense. More effective ones on top of these would be the Stingers,Anza mkII/III and FN-9.

They also need, ATGMs now ie TOW,Baktar Shikan, HEAT, Kornet etc
@Yzd Khalifa

Iran is sending 4000 revolutionary guards and SOF teams. This is extremely dangerous situation as Iran has decided to send its uniformed troops as combatants!

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

@Yzd Khalifa

These are fixed MANPADs for point defense. More effective ones on top of these would be the Stingers,Anza mkII/III and FN-9.

They also need, ATGMs now ie TOW,Baktar Shikan, HEAT, Kornet etc

I believe they will be getting them sooner or later. But the US seems to have clashed with the Russians in the G8 summit, the Canadians slammed the Russians public, I don't know where things are heading tbqh, it seems that there are two countries siding with Assad. Interestingly, Putin brought the story of the guy eating the flesh of his enemy in Syria again and again.

And I quote

"One does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of the public and cameras," Putin said after meeting British host David Cameron.

And does Saudi Arabia make these or did they come via U.S and Europe ?

Good question!

No, KSA shipped small weapons and ammos of its making, but the rest came from the EU.

We make our own missiles though.

@Yzd Khalifa

These are fixed MANPADs for point defense. More effective ones on top of these would be the Stingers,Anza mkII/III and FN-9.

They also need, ATGMs now ie TOW,Baktar Shikan, HEAT, Kornet etc
@Yzd Khalifa

Iran is sending 4000 revolutionary guards and SOF teams. This is extremely dangerous situation as Iran has decided to send its uniformed troops as combatants!

They sent some and the rest are coming to Syria by now. Don't worry big things are in store.

 

[Edevelop]

And does Saudi Arabia make these or did they come via U.S and Europe ?

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

Here we go!

New evidence emerged of escalating foreign support for the rebels, with a Gulf source telling Reuters that Saudi Arabia had equipped fighters for the first time with shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, their most urgent request. Rebels said Riyadh had also sent them anti-tank missiles.

Opposition sources in Aleppo said Saudi Arabia had also supplied the rebels with at least 50 Russian-made Konkurs anti-tank missiles in the last few days. The weapons had reached rebels fighting a government column at the town of Maaret al-Arteek north of Aleppo, scene of major fighting in recent days."One does not really need to support the people who not only kill their enemies, but open up their bodies, eat their intestines in front of the public and cameras," Putin said after meeting British host David Cameron.

The Saudi weapons deal was disclosed as rebel fighters confront government troops and hundreds of militants from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia seeking to retake the northern city of Aleppo, where heavy fighting resumed on Monday.

The news that rebels are receiving shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles from Saudi Arabia marks an important escalation with the potential to shift momentum by limiting Assad's use of air power, one of his major advantages.

The missiles have been at the top of the wish-list of the main rebel military commander, Salim Idriss. The West had long been wary because of fears such weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists and be used to shoot down civilian planes. U.S. ally Israel is particularly fearful of such weapons being distributed in the Middle East.

The missiles were obtained from suppliers in France and Belgium, and France had paid to ship them to the region, the Gulf source told Reuters. France says it has not yet decided to arm the rebels but along with Britain it persuaded the European Union to drop a weapons embargo from the start of this month.

 

[Kompromat]

@Yzd Khalifa

This is now an international war since Iranian uniformed troops are now fighting in Syria. The intention of both the west and russia is to get as many Muslims killed as they can before they come as saviours to cease the spoils.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

@Yzd Khalifa

This is now an international war since Iranian uniformed troops are now fighting in Syria. The intention of both the west and russia is to get as many Muslims killed as they can before they come as saviours to cease the spoils.

Hz and Iranian mercenaries will only prolong the war and complicate the situation, they are fighting a lost war, they are along with Bashar forces have become an occupation force and yet there is no way for them to win a war against the majority of his people and most regional as well as world countries. I mean, Syrians have nothing to lose and they are fighting for their survival, literally speaking. Even the US with it's behemoth military and economy couldn't win wars against Taliban and Iraqi Sunnah, hence, Iran and it's sellouts have no hope in winning this war with it's rag tag arms and militias. Syria will be their slaughter house.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

Here we go!

FSA only need ATMs, ATGMs, Man-Pads, Machine guns, rifles, mortars, and 107/122 MIRLS with their ammo, and will definitely win the war if supplied with enough quantities. They managed to accomplish all the exceptional achievements with the arms they captured and the little they got, so picture it if they got all their needs.

 

[Kompromat]

FSA only need ATMs, ATGMs, Man-Pads, Machine guns, rifles, mortars, and 107/122 MIRLS with their ammo, and will definitely win the war if supplied with enough quantities. They managed to accomplish all the exceptional achievements with the arms they captured and the little they got, so picture it if they got all their needs.

FSA needs a no fly zone before anything else.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

FSA needs a no fly zone before anything else.

I hope that will happen, but until then they must get armed.

 

[al-Hasani]

Hz and Iranian mercenaries will only prolong the war and complicate the situation, they are fighting a lost war, they are along with Bashar forces have become an occupation force and yet there is no way for them to win a war against the majority of his people and most regional as well as world countries. I mean, Syrians have nothing to lose and they are fighting for their survival, literally speaking. Even the US with it's behemoth military and economy couldn't win wars against Taliban and Iraqi Sunnah, hence, Iran and it's sellouts have no hope in winning this war with it's rag tag arms and militias. Syria will be their slaughter house.

إن شاء الله‎

We discussed their (Iranian Mullah's) suicide mission many times but they seem to be highly deluded thinking that they will ever gain a foothold in Syria again through a direct puppet. The things I see on Syrian forums are a testimony of that alone. Not even thinking about all the destruction.

Their only mission right now is to prolong a already lost war and to kill as many Muslims and Arabs as possible.

Russia, if they had a more senseless foreign policy, could quickly have found another Tartus naval base somewhere else in the Arab world, after all there are 23 Arab states or a similar arrangement. Instead they have chosen a line where 95% of all Arab countries see them not as a beneficial partner but as a unfriendly nation. Totally unnecessary and irresponsible.

What goes through their heads I will never understand because there is no doubt that the war is lost for them. Unless they are putting all their strength to create a Alawi state around Latakia. But will the Syrians allow their country to be partitioned? Don't think so. Would it be in the interest of the West? Might be. We will not know for now.

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

FSA only need ATMs, ATGMs, Man-Pads, Machine guns, rifles, mortars, and 107/122 MIRLS with their ammo, and will definitely win the war if supplied with enough quantities. They managed to accomplish all the exceptional achievements with the arms they captured and the little they got, so picture it if they got all their needs.

It will be just amazing !

 

[Bubblegum Crisis]

...
Would it be in the interest of the West? Might be. We will not know for now.

The West - And us - will not tolerate never a second HezboShaitan (Alawi) in Syria. Never.

 

[al-Hasani]

The West - And us - will not tolerate never a second HezboShaitan (Alawi) in Syria.

I surely hope so my friend. But the West cannot be trusted 100 % when it comes to our world. They will first look for their interests. If a Alawi state will somehow serve as a buffer for Israel or ensure less "anti-Israeli" states around them then they might be in favor of a Alawi state. But who knows? It is all, for now at least, quite difficult to predict the future other than the Child-Murderer being removed. But after that happens there will be a lot of work to do.