Syria rebels say they have received new types of arms

[Bubblegum Crisis]

Enjoy !

Syria rebels say they have received new types of arms

AFP
June 21, 2013

Syrian rebels have recently received new weapons that could "change the course of the battle" against the Syrian regime, a spokesperson for the Free Syrian Army told AFP on Friday.

"We've received quantities of new types of weapons, including some that we asked for and that we believe will change the course of the battle on the ground," FSA political and media coordinator Louay Almokdad said.

"We have begun distributing them on the front lines, they will be in the hands of professional officers and FSA fighters," he said.

He did not specify what weapons had been received or when they had arrived, but added that a new shipment was expecting in coming days and recalled that the rebels had asked for "deterrent weapons."

The apparent influx of weapons comes after the United States said it would provide rebel forces with "military support," although it has declined to outline what that might entail.

"The weapons will be used for one objective, which is to fight the regime of [President] Bashar al-Assad," Almokdad insisted.

"They will be collected after the fall of the regime, we have made this commitment to the friends and brotherly countries" who supplied the weapons, he said.

On Thursday, Almokdad said rebels needed short-range ground-to-air missiles, surface-to-air missiles known as MANPADS, anti-tank missiles, mortars and ammunition.

Continue... See old links :

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...rcraft-missiles-syria-rebels.html#post4420360

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...s-discussions-thread-2-a-204.html#post4427700

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...-last-ones-intervene-syria-4.html#post4433832

http://www.defence.pk/forums/middle...-last-ones-intervene-syria-4.html#post4433844

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

I had no idea that Qusair "victory" would turn into a curse on Bashar and Hz, it was the biggest mistake they have committed. Wish them more Qusair-like (victories)

 

[kalu_miah]

I asked a question before on this issue and the answer was:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/arab-d...-when-will-we-see-them-syria.html#post3517009

we will see them when Saudi Arabia and Turkey stop listening to the US about Syria specially Obama! if they provided them Assad's would have been dead since long time ago by now.

The point I want to make is that some idiots among Muslims picked a fight with the West and created a situation of distrust. So now yet another 100,000 people have died, because West do not feel comfortable about guided missiles in the hands of some rebels, because it could blow up some passenger planes or be used against Israel later?

And now finally Obama the idiot gave the green signal and magic is happening?

Why do KSA and Qatar need to wait for this green signal, if their survival at stake? The answer I am afraid is "dependence". It will not happen overnight, but one needs to work constantly to get out from situation of dependence.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

According to the FSA, they have recently got:

1- 1000 AT-5 with 4000 missiles.

2- Large numbers of Red Arrow (surprised)

3- SA-8 OSA

4- Ammo, rifles, machine guns, communication devices and personal protection equipment.

Now that is called arming.
@Yzd Khalifa

I'm confused, is China arming the FSA? First we saw FN-6 and now HJ-8 red arrow.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

@BLACKEAGLE

The PRC is a weapon-exporter to KSA, so yeah.

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

@kalu_miah

KSA started arming the FSA on its own in 12.

By definition, KSA risked its credibility on the INTL stage. In short, we don't need to ask a damn country about what should we do.

 

[kalu_miah]

@kalu_miah

KSA started arming the FSA on its own in 12.

By definition, KSA risked its credibility on the INTL stage. In short, we don't need to ask a damn country about what should we do.

With due respect, why wait for supplying these ATGM's and MANPADs, till now?

 

[Yzd Khalifa]

With due respect, why wait for supplying these ATGM's and MANPADs, till now?

Sure, Assad started losing his grip on power which meant that the FSA won't be needing ATGMs/MANPADs. But, the whole equation turned into his favor due to the interference of Hezbollah, which possess an arsenal that oughtn't to be underestimated. If you noticed, the heavy-weapon supplies didn't get in their way to the FSA before Al-Qusair retake by Hezbollah.

 

[The Vicious Kind]

According to the FSA, they have recently got:

1- 1000 AT-5 with 4000 missiles.

2- Large numbers of Red Arrow (surprised)

3- SA-8 OSA

4- Ammo, rifles, machine guns, communication devices and personal protection equipment.

Now that is called arming.
@Yzd Khalifa

I'm confused, is China arming the FSA? First we saw FN-6 and now HJ-8 red arrow.

China arming the FSA ,well what better way to market your weapons .Potential buyers will be more satisfied by seeing actual videos of their intended weapons blowing up tanks rather then reading a brochure.If i am not mistaken HJ-8 (baktar shikan) inflicted a lot of damage against serb m-84 ,which resulted in scores of countries later purchasing these systems.
Btw does anybody know how many m-84 kills did the bosnian make ,and were those tanks using ERA.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

With due respect, why wait for supplying these ATGM's and MANPADs, till now?

Actually, they have been arming the FSA for more than a year.

 

[kalu_miah]

Sure, Assad started losing his grip on power which meant that the FSA won't be needing ATGMs/MANPADs. But, the whole equation turned into his favor due to the interference of Hezbollah, which possess an arsenal that oughtn't to be underestimated. If you noticed, the heavy-weapon supplies didn't get in their way to the FSA before Al-Qusair retake by Hezbollah.

You may want to look at these news reports. Looks like Obama is taking credit for the change in KSA stance:
Syrian rebels get first heavy weapons on the front line of Aleppo - Telegraph
Syrian rebels report new shipments of heavy weapons, credit U.S. influence - The Washington Post
Middle East state reportedly sends rebels antitank missiles | The Times of Israel

But this report says that KSA started supplying ATGM's about 2 months back and the trigger looks like the entrance of Hezb in the theater and this matches with your answer:
Saudi supplying missiles to Syria rebels: Gulf source | Reuters

So Obama is playing catchup, after KSA made the decision to go ahead with ATGM's and MANPAD's, just to show that the US is in control? In any case, I still remain puzzled, why wait for so long, its not like they cost too much and KSA and Qatar cannot afford them. If they were supplied sooner, Assad would be out by now.

It's all good news nevertheless, hopefully this will bring an end to the conflict soon.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

@kalu_miah

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/w...expands-with-cia-aid.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

 

[kalu_miah]

@kalu_miah

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/25/w...expands-with-cia-aid.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Thanks, that is a very good article with a lot of information relevant to the question I asked. Looks like Turkey and Erdogan govt. has been a big help so far for Sunni Arab brothers.

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

Thanks, that is a very good article with a lot of information relevant to the question I asked. Looks like Turkey and Erdogan govt. has been a big help so far for Sunni Arab brothers.

There have been weapon smuggling from Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, mainly from Turkey though. There are allot of similar articles, and new weapon were filmed with the FSA supplied mainly by Qatar, the KSA and Libya. I don't want people to have an idea that Arabs started arming Syrians only after American consent as that's not true, the supplies started on large scales in 2012 and resulted in liberating 50-60% of Syria.

 

[kalu_miah]

There have been weapon smuggling from Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, mainly from Turkey though. There are allot of similar articles, and new weapon were filmed with the FSA supplied mainly by Qatar, the KSA and Libya. I don't want people to have an idea that Arabs started arming Syrians only after American consent as that's not true, the supplies started on large scales in 2012 and resulted in liberating 50-60% of Syria.

It makes sense for Turkey to help, they are the regional heavy weight that borders Syria. Jordan and Lebanon are smaller and Lebanon has significant Hizb/Shia influence. Turkey can get away with much more than Jordan and Lebanon because Assad cannot bully Turkey. But Turkey and Erdogan govt. has its own problems and limits too, looking at the ongoing protests there.

I understand your point about the American consent, but I think people are well aware that Arab govt.s were helping all along. My specific question was about ATGM's and MANPAD's only, why they are showing up in recent weeks. But Yzd Khalifa answered that question. I think the strategy was to win without introducing these weapons in the theater, but Hizb's entrance changed that strategy.