Syria's rebels say they have received new types of weapons that could "change the course of the battle" against President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
Louay Muqdad, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, said June 21 that the arms shipments arrived recently from Arab nations and other countries.
Muqdad declined to specify what weapons had been received or when they had arrived, but insisted no weapons had come from the United States so far.
Earlier this month U.S. officials said President Barack Obama had authorized sending weapons to Syrian rebels, following conclusive evidence that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons against opposition forces.
The announcement came a day before a meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, of the Friends of Syria, a group of countries that back the uprising against Assad.
Louay Muqdad, a spokesman for the Free Syrian Army, said June 21 that the arms shipments arrived recently from Arab nations and other countries.
Muqdad declined to specify what weapons had been received or when they had arrived, but insisted no weapons had come from the United States so far.
Earlier this month U.S. officials said President Barack Obama had authorized sending weapons to Syrian rebels, following conclusive evidence that Assad's regime has used chemical weapons against opposition forces.
The announcement came a day before a meeting in the Qatari capital, Doha, of the Friends of Syria, a group of countries that back the uprising against Assad.