NCRI – The Syrian regime is currently recruiting more “sectarian” militia fighters from Iraq and Iran, the Free Syrian Army chief of staff told Al Arabiya Saturday.
Salim Idriss, who spoke to Al Arabiya via Skype, said the Syrian army lacks vitality, and needs “mercenaries from abroad.”
“The Syrian regime is putting Hezbollah fighters on the frontline” and they have “the latest weapons,” he said, adding that “Iraqi and Iranian groups come second (in number).”
Iranian presence in Syria initially started with the supplying of “experts” to the Syrian government for both “technical and intelligence backing,” however, their role has now grown as more Iranian regime forces arrive in Syria, he said.
The chief also unveiled some information on Hezbollah’s training process.
“There is a large number of Hezbollah fighters in an Aleppo military academy. They are in charge of training, recruitment and leading military operations in the province.”
The FSA leader urged the “Friends of Syria” group to send helicopters, anti-tanks arms instead of “food supplies and medicine” to the rebels. Meanwhile, he described European fighters backing rebels as an “individual case” of people who infiltrated Syrian borders.
Idriss, who also participated in the Istanbul conference on Saturday, said the FSA will fight Hezbollah, but, FSA will not transfer the conflict into Lebanon.
