France provides aid, artillery, anti-crafts, to Insurgents of Syria

France has started providing direct aid and money to rebel-controlled areas of Syria and is even considering supplying anti-aircraft weapons to the opposition, a diplomatic source has said.

The aid began being supplied last Friday, to five local authorities in so called “liberated zones” located in three provinces – Deir al-Zour, Aleppo and Edlib, the source said.

Last week, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius promised that such aid was in the pipeline.

“In zones where the regime has lost control, such as Tal Rifaat, which has been free five months, local revolutionary councils have been set up to help the population and put in place an administration for these towns so as to avoid chaos like in Iraq when the regime pulls back,” the source said.

With pressure mounting and a threat of foreign intervention looming, France is considering supporting the rebels with artillery.

The diplomatic source said opposition forces had asked for anti-aircraft weapons.

“It’s a subject that we are working on seriously, but which has serious and complicated implications. We aren’t neglecting it.”

The source did not specify how aid was provided, or name the cities where the aid went. He did however state that those areas are home to a total of 700,000 people and have been under rebel control for between one and five months.

French officials earlier admitted providing communications and other non-lethal equipment to Syrian opposition.

The United States and Turkey had previously said they were considering implementing no-fly zones for Syria to help rebel forces oust the Syrian government.