Video allegedly shows Assad troops firing Scud
Clip purportedly obtained from troops who have defected seems to shows missile fired by Syrian army at rebels
A video that was broadcasted by news outlets in the Arab world on Friday allegedly documents the launch of a scud missile by Syrian President Bashar Assad's forces.
The clip was released by Syrian opposition officials, who claim to have obtained it from troops who defected from the Syrian army. According to the officials, the missile was fired from a base located outside Damascus. The soldiers, whose desertion was purportedly aided by the opposition, belonged to the unit that fired the projectiles.
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If authenticated, the video would be the first clear documentation of a Scud fired in the civil war between Assad's regime and the rebels who oppose it.
NATO confirmed on Friday that the regime's forces have fired "Scud-type missiles" at rebels.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen said the Syrian army's use of such weapons was an act of desperation.
"I can confirm that we have detected the launch of Scud-type missiles; we strongly regret that act," Rasmussen said. "I consider it an act of a desperate regime approaching collapse."
The latest launches were detected on Thursday, a source close to NATO said.
AFP contributed to the report
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