Syrian rebels confirm receiving arms from Western countries

Syrian rebels have confirmed that foreign countries, including the West, are arming them to fight against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking at an international conference on Syria unrest in Tunisia, a Syrian opposition source said on Friday that several countries are providing armed groups in Syria with weapons, which are being smuggled into the country.

He also criticized foreign powers for ignoring the arms smuggling aimed at causing chaos in Syria.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Saud bin Faisal bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, attending the ”Friends of Syria” conference has openly supported arming Assad opponents.

The US has earlier said that it will consider military assistance to armed groups fighting the Syrian government. Pro-Israeli US Republican presidential candidates, Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, have also called for arming Syrian gangs with the help of Turkey and Saudi Arabia.

The pro-opposition Friends of Syria conference organized by a number of Western countries and the Arab League kicked off in Tunisia on Friday to discuss Syria unrest.

Russia, China and Lebanon have shunned the conference, describing it as one-sided. The leader of Syria’s opposition party, the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, has also slammed the conference.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Assad supporters gathered outside the venue of the conference to condemn the meeting.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. The violence has claimed the lives of hundreds, reportedly including over 2,000 security forces.

Damascus blames ‘outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups’ for the unrest, asserting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.