Syrian rebels claim new 'game changing' weapons not 'American aid'

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ANI London
Last Updated : Jun 22 2013 | 2:30 PM IST

The Syrian rebels have reportedly received new military weapons which they claim are not from the US but have been acquired from the black market and by seizing troops.

According to BBC, the rebels believed that the new weapons could lead to changes in the fighting in the country's civil war.

A spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, Louay Meqdad did not give details about the new military weapons and said that the army has begun distributing the weapons to the front line, which is expected to change the course of battle on ground.

The US had earlier declared that it will provide the opposition group with 'military aid' to fight the war. However, the rebels deny that the aid has come from the US.

The report said that the decision to provide Syrian rebels with 'military aid' was taken in light of evidence regarding small-scale chemical weapon attacks by the government.

Obama had pointed that these attacks crossed the 'red line' triggering the change in policy towards Syrian conflict.

Meqdad added that the weapons are aimed for only one objective, which is fighting the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

Meanwhile, the Russian President Vladmir Putin warned the West against arming the Syrian opposition and said that a 'political void' would be filled by 'terrorist organizations' if Assad were to leave from power.

The report added that more than 90,000 people have lost their lives in the Syrian conflict and many more have fled the country.

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First Published: Jun 22 2013 | 2:10 PM IST

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