BEIRUT: Syrian rebels besieged in the outskirts of Damascus say they are facing a slow but steady advance by President Bashar Al Assad’s forces, and are pinning their hopes on an anticipated influx of weapons from the Jordanian border.
Opposition fighters once threatened Assad’s dominance of Damascus but are now struggling to repel his forces, who have been emboldened by winning a strategic border town further north and have help from Lebanese Hezbollah militants and Shia Iraqi fighters.
“The regime’s goal is to slowly bleed us until we are forced to surrender. They are advancing slowly to preserve their fighting force,” said Amran, an activist speaking by Skype from the ring of suburbs known as the Eastern Ghouta.
Rebel prospects for reversing Assad’s gains in Damascus may now hinge on military support from Western and Arab backers.
“We can survive for a long time, because our fighters know the terrain, but until we get weapons we cannot repel the advance,” Amran said.
The rebels believe a recent US decision to give them military support will re-open an arms pipeline from Jordan that was shut down as the United States and Russia negotiated a planned “Geneva 2” peace conference.
But this week’s G8 meeting saw no narrowing of the differences between Moscow, Assad’s main arms supplier, and Washington, which wants Assad to step down in any transition.
Despite Washington’s reluctance to define what kind of help it is willing to give, the mostly Sunni Muslim rebels expect Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia to step up support to help them fight Assad. He is backed by Riyadh’s regional Shia rival Iran in a two-year conflict that has become increasingly regionalised.
“We had several meetings in Jordan and Ankara and discussed opening the weapons pipeline to the Damascus rebels from Jordan. I expect good news soon ... We will be getting advanced weaponry but I cannot say what kind,” said Abu Moaz Al Agha, a spokesman and commander from the Ansar Al Islam brigades in Damascus.
Rebels want anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to challenge the dominance of Assad’s air force. REUTERS
