Russia Sends Firearms, Grenade Launchers to Syrian Army to Counter ISIL
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Russia supplies Syrian forces with firearms, grenade launchers and armored personnel carriers as the country is struggling with the ISIL militants, the Russian Kommersant daily reports citing military-technical sources.
The supplies "are in accordance with international law and in line with all formalities and existing contracts (between the Russian and Syrian governments),” the source told the newspaper on Thursday.
The weaponry and military hardware are needed to help the Syrian army counter the advances of ISIL extremists, who have ceased vast areas in the country, the source explained, expressing confidence that the aid would significantly contribute to anti-ISIL efforts, Sputnik news agency reported.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia provides "considerable" support to Syria in terms of equipment, training and weaponry.
On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stressed that Russian military specialists deployed in Syria are not participating in military operations in the conflict-torn country and are limited to an "advisory role."
Zakharova confirmed that Russia had military experts on the ground in Syria but said they were only there to help the Syrian authorities receive arms shipments which it has acknowledged sending in the past.
Russia has been engaged in international efforts to find a political solution to the ongoing conflict in Syria and has been providing humanitarian aid to the conflict-torn country.
Last week Putin said it is too early to discuss Russia getting involved in direct military action against ISIL militants.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with the ISIL militants controlling swaths of its territory, mainly in the north. In the past four years, more than 200,000 people have died in Syria -overwhelmingly civilians– and around 4 million Syrian people are now refugees in other countries. Another 7.6 million are displaced inside Syria.