WP report: Qatar has supplied the militants in Syria with antiaircraft missile systems

Qatar has supplied the militants in Syria with antiaircraft missile systems to be used against the Syrian army. Iranian Press TV informs about this referring to a report published in the Washington Post.

According to the source, US Middle Eastern intelligence officials said the militants had acquired “as many as 40 shoulder-fired missile systems in recent weeks,” and “at least some” of the weaponry was provided by Qatar.

Recently, there has been a rise in weapons trafficking from Turkey into Syria.

Qatar has provided most of the weapons smuggled to militants in Syria across the Turkish border, the Post stated.

Intelligence officials, who closely track the flow of arms into Syria, say the militants are using the recently-acquired devices with “increasing effectiveness against Syrian helicopters and military jets,” the report added.

Clashes in Syria have started since since March 2011. The opposition claims that President Bashar al-Assad must resign, but teh latter claims the rebels are directed by the Western forces.