FSA spokesman: Weapons will ‘change military equation’

Fahed Al-Masri is the Media Officer at the Free Syrian Army Joint Command in Paris. He tells Syria Direct about additional assistance the Free Syrian Army hopes to receive from the United States.

June 17, 2013

Q: Are you waiting for more western or American aid? What is the requested aid?

A: We are of course waiting for military and logistical aid from donor nations. The weapons we require most of all are anti-aircraft and anti-shield weapons, so that we can stop the Air Force and stop the regime and Hezbollah from advancing.

The donor nations that will provide this military aid know well that the weapons will not be given to anyone but [FSA] military forces systematically supervising the use of these weapons, and ensuring that they do not land in irresponsible hands.

Q: Do you think that the donor nations will provide the necessary weapons?

A: I think the weapons that the donor nations will offer to the armed opposition will be enough to change the military equation and stop the progress of the regime, Hezbollah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

We believe that an international military coalition, outside of the UN Security Council, will impose a no-fly zone and carry out a surgical military operation inside Syria to assist the armed opposition in putting an end to the Syrian regime and to this crisis.

We think that this military operation will take the form of air strikes on essential targets that Assad depends on in his war against the Syrian people. Assad will not leave Syria alive, and he will be lucky if he meets the same fate as Muammar Al-Qaddafi.