MOSCOW, February 25 (RIA Novosti) – Syria’s armed opposition, fighting against government troops, are planning a “spring offensive” on the capital Damascus, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Monday.
The ministry quoted media reports, citing the Middle East's biggest selling English newspaper, Gulf News, as saying that Saudi Arabia is in talks with Pakistan to provide Syrian rebels with man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) and anti-tank rockets.
“This deal is intended to shift the balance of forces in favor of militants during a spring offensive by illegal armed formations to Damascus from the south,” the ministry said in a statement.
“If these sensitive weapons fall into the hands of extremists and terrorists, who have literally infested the Syrian territory, chances are high that these weapons will eventually be used a long way away from borders of this Middle East country,” the statement reads.
The ministry said it was “alarmed” by media reports about a possible transit of weapons via Jordan and militant training camps in the country.
