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Assad regime distributed gas masks and radiation suits to troops – Source
Assad regime distributed gas masks and radiation suits to troops – Source
06/12/2012 By Caroline Akoum
http://www.asharq-e.com/news.asp?section=1&id=32069
Beirut, Asharq Al-Awsat Despite repeated international warnings to the
al-Assad regime against the use of chemical weapons, the Free Syrian Army
[FSA] has stated that it believes it likely that al-Assad will use such
weapons as a last resort should it lose hope in the possibility of reaching
a political solution.
On Tuesday, US President Barack Obama warned that al-Assad will face
consequences should he use chemical weapons against the Syrian people. He
said the world is watching. The use of chemical weapons is and would be
totally unacceptable. For her part, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton,
speaking on Wednesday, said the use of chemical weapons would be a red
line for Washington. She added our concerns are that an increasingly
desperate al-Assad regime might turn to chemical weapons, or might lose
control of them to one of the many groups that are now operating in Syria.
Captain Abdul-Salam Abdul-Razzaq, a Syrian army defector who was part of the
al-Assad militarys Chemical Weapons Department, informed Asharq Al-Awsat
that the regime has already used this kind of weapon, albeit in a limited
manner, namely in Baba Amr last year. The regime also threatened to use
chemical weapons in al-Zabadani, distributing gas masks and radiation suits
to its troops. He added these are only worn when chemical weapons are
used.
The al-Assad regime defector also revealed that tests were being conducted
on such weapons nearly 6 weeks ago in al-Muslimiya district in eastern
Aleppo in the presence of Iranian experts.
Captain Abdul-Razzaq also informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the al-Assad regime
had provided its troops with pamphlets claiming that it is the terrorist
gangs that are using chemical weapons, perhaps as the first step in a
denial should it use such arms. He stressed that as of early November,
chemical weapons were being stored in numerous warehouses around the
country, but these were later transferred to the Rif Dimashq area.
He revealed that the Syrian regime is in possession of a large arsenal of
chemical weapons which is under the control of Scientific Research Centres
based in Homs, Aleppo, Damascus and Latakia. He said that these research
centres are managed by three senior Brigadier Generals affiliated to the
infamous Syrian Air Force Intelligence Directorate, adding that the chemical
weapons are under the direct supervision of experts from Iran, Russia and
North Korea. Abdul-Razzaq revealed that a recent decision was taken to
relocate these chemical weapons, particularly as foreign intelligence
apparatus, including Americas Central Intelligence Agency [CIA], had
uncovered their previous locations.
As for whether the FSA possesses the necessary expertise to deal with a
chemical weapons attack, Captain Abdul-Razzaq informed Asharq Al-Awsat that
FSA elements possess only a limited understanding of this, mostly from
chemical weapons drills they would have undertaken as part of the regular
Syrian army before their defection.
He added however, we have acted to raise the awareness of the troops, as
well as the people, towards these kinds of weapons by distributing pamphlets
that contain pertinent information, most importantly that such weapons are
usually deployed by aircraft flying at low altitude trailing a cloud of
smoke.
He also revealed that the explosion [of a chemical weapon] would be faint,
not loud
whilst medium-sized dark-brown fragments will be clear to see at
the site of explosion.
Abdul-Razzaq stressed that it would be very difficult for the FSA to attack
a chemical weapons warehouse, particularly as this would first require
intelligence as to where these warehouses are located, and then the military
capabilities to secure it.
For his part, FSA Deputy Chief of Staff Colonel Aref al-Hammoud informed
Asharq Al-Awsat that the Syrian regime is afraid and so it may take the
international warnings into consideration. However the regime’s savage
history confirms that it would not hesitate to use chemical weapons to kill
the largest possible number of its own people.”
He added that “the Syrian regime has a huge arsenal of chemical weapons, and
this has not been gathered today, rather this dates back several years. They
are stored in warehouses in mountainous regions of Syria and guarded by
Special Forces units, most prominently Unit 417 in Damascus and Unit 418 in
Homs.
Colonel al-Hammoud acknowledged that the regime may have transported these
chemical weapons to more secure locations, particularly in light of its
recent defeats at the hands of the rebel forces, adding that these new
warehouses are on the list of FSA targets. The FSA Deputy Chief of Staff
also stressed that should his forces manage to confiscate any chemical
weapons, they will immediately deliver them to specialists to be disabled
adding that the FSA will never use internationally banned weapons.
He said “in the event that the regime taking the decision to use chemical
weapons, the FSA would not be able to combat this, as this primarily
requires anti-aircraft weaponry to disable and mitigate the effects of these
weapons as much as possible.
2012-12-06 23:46:56
Source:
