"The Syrian regime has transferred some of its chemical weapons arsenal to its ally Hezbollah aboard trucks used to transport vegetables," a rebel leader told Saudi newspaper Al-Watan on Monday.
Syrian National Coalition member Kamal al-Labwani said the Syrian regime transferred additional chemical weapons to Russian ships docked along the country's coast aboard trucks that were detected by the Free Syrian Army.
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"We have credible information indicating that the Assad regime has smuggled part of its chemical arsenal to Russian ships in barrels," al-Labwani said.
Meanwhile, Lebanese newspaper As-Safir revealed new details about the US-Russian agreement to disarm Syria of its WMDs. According to the report, Russia and Syria agreed that disarmament was preferable to the threat of an American military strike against President Bahsar Assad's regime. Iran, the report said, convinced Syria that giving up its chemical weapons would not weaken its deterrence against Israel.
A source close to the Russian defense ministry told the newspaper that President Vladimir Putin gave his personal guarantee to the senior-most officials in Damascus so they would give their consent to the disarmament initiative.
The source said Moscow recently transferred to Syria equipment that "is indicative of Russia's concern for Syria's security." The newspaper said Russia's support is provided to guarantee that Damascus will live up to its part of the disarmament deal without hesitation. The aid is also the result of Russia's understanding that Assad's ability to remain in power has bolstered Moscow in its confrontation with the US over Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons against its own people.
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