A general in the opposition militia known as the Free Syria Army has told journalists that the rebels have received French and American military assistance, amid reports of worsening violence in the stricken nation.
In Homs on Tuesday, a general claiming to be from the rebel group appeared on camera and told a journalist from Reuters news agency that “French and American assistance has reached us and is with us.” When asked to elaborate on the nature of the assistance he added, “We now have weapons and anti-aircraft missiles and, God willing, with all of that we will defeat Bashar (President Assad).”
The international community maintains it is committed to finding a political solution to the conflict and had rejected the idea of military intervention. However, there are growing suspicions that it has been supplying the opposition with weapons indirectly.
This is not the first report of the US covertly supplying the opposition with arms. In December, FBI translator turned whistleblower Sibel Edmonds said she believed the US had been training the Syrian opposition in neighboring Turkey and supplying arms to the country from Incirlik military base close to the Turkish-Syrian border.
In addition, Qatar and Saudi Arabia reportedly held secret meetings to offer financial support to the Syrian rebels to buy weapons.
Political foot-dragging
Thus far the international community has been unable to reach agreement on a resolution to the Syrian conflict. At an emergency meeting called by the UN in Brussels on Tuesday, the Syrian ambassador accused the UN Security Council of purposely stalling and fueling the flames of terrorism in the country.
The UN has shown consistent support for the opposition movement, with both the Security Council and General Assembly repeatedly calling for the ouster of President Assad.
Meanwhile, Joint United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan has called for national dialogue in the country, calling it an essential step to finding a peaceful solution to the crisis. Annan is planning a visit to Damascus soon.
Annan called on Syrian President Bashar Assad to assist in a bid to end the country’s bloodiest turmoil in decades. “I would plead with (Assad) that he should engage – not only with me but with the process we are launching,” he said. Annan also called on Assad to stop the violence immediately, and allow humanitarian agencies into the country.
The UN-Arab League envoy revealed plans to visit Syria after meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York, during which Ban strongly urged Syrian authorities to extend their full cooperation. He also said he was “extremely disappointed” that Syria did not allow UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos to visit.
Earlier on Wednesday it was reported that Annan may also visit Russia in the near future. “The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria has received an invitation to come to Moscow for consultations,” Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov wrote on his Twitter feed.
Annan was appointed UN and Arab League envoy for the crisis in Syria on February 23 following a report by a UN-appointed panel on the deteriorating humanitarian situation there. The Kremlin supported the appointment, saying it expects that such an authoritative politician will contribute to a solution of the pressing issues in Syria.
The UN estimates that more than 7,500 people have been killed since the anti-Assad uprising began in March 2011.
Homs to be “cleansed”?
On Wednesday evening the Syrian army launched a renewed ground assault on the rebel-held neighborhood of Baba Amr in the flashpoint city of Homs.
“The army has started combing the area building by building and house by house. Now the troops are searching every basement and tunnel for arms and terrorists,” a security source told AFP in Damascus.
He said that only “pockets” of resistance were left in the city.
However, a report from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights contradicted these claims, saying that rebel forces “were preventing an attempt to storm Baba Amr.” It also said that fighting had not reached the centre of the city and was still confined to the outskirts.