Israel Matzav

Defector: Bashar using chemical weapons

A defector from the Syrian army says that Bashar al-Assad's troops have been using chemical weapons against Syrian demonstrators in Homs under the supervision of Russian and Iranian experts.

The officer, Captain Abd al-Salam Ahmed Abdul Razek, who served in Syrian's chemical warfare administration, told al-Arabiya that the Syrian military used nerve gas – banned by various international conventions – in order to assist forces in their raid on the restive city of Homs.

The defecting officer added that the Syrian army's Fourth Division and Republican Guard are expected to use chemical weapons elsewhere. Assad's forces have access to toxins produced by Russia and a small quantity of them may cause numerous casualties, he said.

The nerve gas was used under the supervision of Russian and Iranian experts, who told the army when and how to utilize the chemical weapons, the officer added.

The apple doesn't fall from the tree, does it?

Labels: Bashar al-Assad, chemical weapons, Syrian uprising

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:52 AM