NEWTOWN, Conn. - Saudi Arabia is supplying man-portable surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) to the Syrian rebels, according to Gulf newspapers. Shipments "on a small scale" began about two months ago, the Arab Times is reporting. The missiles came from suppliers in France and Belgium, according to Reuters News Service, and France paid for the transport of the missiles to the region.
The Syrian rebels have long complained they need man-portable SAMs to counter the airpower of President Bashar al-Assad's regime. President Assad is receiving manpower from Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist group, as well as from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
In addition, the Syrian rebels have received 250 Russian-made 9M113 Konkurs (AT-5 Spandrel) anti-armor missiles from an undisclosed Middle Eastern nation. The missiles arrived a week ago via Turkey, according to the Times of Israel.
Assad's forces are reportedly massing for an assault on Aleppo, a city in northern Syria.
Source: Forecast Intelligence Center
Associated URL:
http://www.forecastinternational.com
Author: L. Dickerson, Missile Systems
