FSA South Syria rebels reportedly promised 'Arab' air cover.

FSA South Syria rebels reportedly promised 'Arab' air cover. (NM).

BEIRUT – Free Syrian Army rebels in southern Syria have reportedly been promised “Arab air cover” as they ramp up their military campaign against the regime.

“Rebel factions in the area are preparing for large-scale military operations and have received promises of Arab air cover, or at least the provision of anti-aircraft rockets,” a source in the FSA told Alaraby Aljadeed in an article published Tuesday.

The source—an officer in the FSA’s Yarmouk Army who preferred to remain anonymous—said that the factions might not wait longer than a week to launch the new offensives, even if the promised air support was not provided by then.

The London-based daily also spoke with an official in the FSA-affiliated Southern Front coalition of rebels who echoed the claims of the Yarmouk Army officer.

“There have been serious signals that the Southern Front will receive Arab support within days,” Southern Front Military Command member Ayman Alaasmi told the paper.

The report comes days after former Lebanese Premier Saad Hariri, who is close to the Saudi royal family, told Arab reporters in a closed meeting in Washington that “air cover” for rebels in the southern and northern Syria was inevitable.

The Lebanese political leader stressed that “such action could come regardless of Washington’s position,” Al-Arabiya television reported.

In recent weeks regional powers have moved to unify their efforts against the Assad regime, after years of divisions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar has manifested itself as splits between rebels in Syria.

The Huffington Post reported on April 12 that Saudi Arabia was in “high-level talks” with Turkey, brokered by Qatar, to bolster the non-jihadist opposition in Syria by the deployment of Saudi air strikes combined with Turkish ground troops on northern Syrian soil.

Meanwhile, Pro-Syrian regime daily Al-Akhbar said last week that a regional agreement was especially likely “as a number of reports have spoken of a new phase of coordination between the Saudi and Turkish players.” Hmmm......Anyone believing Russia and Iran will let this pass? :)Read the full story here.