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Syrian Rebels Waging War With Do It Yourself Weapons
Saturday, May 25, 2013 13:43
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Do-it-yourself weaponry: How Syrian rebels wage war
A 7.62 mm FAL rifle, jerry-rigged into a remote-controlled long-range sniper rifle.
The vast majority of the Syrian rebels’ weapons come from the regular army’s stocks. The rebels use everything they can get their hands on — ranging from ammunition and weapons to vehicles — and modify the equipment to fit their needs. An activist who lives in the Al-Khalidiya neighbourhood in Homs, which has been under siege by president Bashar al-Assad’s forces for the last several months, explains how they do it.
Syrian rebels have been fighting for more than two years against one of the region’s best-equipped and trained armies. Arming the rebels is at the centre of all discussions between the Syrian opposition and its international allies. The rebels are currently getting funding from Gulf states and local sponsors that allows them to buy weapons on the black market, but the majority of their equipment is captured from the Syrian Army during combat.
Portability is key
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A 120-mm heavy mortar from the Soviet Union, atop a 4×4 Toyota Land Cruiser. Aleppo, Al Zahra neighbourhood, May 5, 2013. In this case, the rebels crafted the mortar rounds themselves. This method of equipping vehicles facilitates the rebels’ rapid deployment and retreat. MOREHERE
