US Training & Equipping Syrian Rebels: US-Made Anti-Tank Missiles Already In Use; Plans To More Than Double Aid To Rebels

New York Times says training already underway in unnamed country in region; Secretary of State Kerry to announce transfer of direct aid to rebels including food, medical supplies.

SOURCE: Report: US training Syrian rebels

American Anti-Tank Missile Filmed In Syria - The following video posted on an activist channel for Talbiseh, Homs shows a very unusual projectile previously unseen in the conflict.

The projectile belongs to an American M47 Dragon, a wire-guided anti-tank missile in service with the US military until 2001. A diagram of the projectile is shown below (source)

The video provides a close up of the markings on the projectile which provides additional information

"Octol" refers to the type of explosive used, more details of which are HERE. M225 is the type of warhead, and HE refers to high explosive. What's interesting is there's also a P/N reference, which means that with the right reference material it would be possible to track it down to it's original source. With a history of use in Iran, Iraq, Israel, and Jordan, as well as the US, it leaves the question of the source wide open, but hopefully the P/N reference will make tracking the origin much more straight-forward.

=> Friends of Syria group deplores “unabated” arms supply to Assad government by third countries-final statement after Rome meeting.

=> SANA: Many people killed in a car bomb explosion in Homs.

SOURCE: https://twitter.com/LBCI_News_EN

=> Unprecedented strong backing by the US to the Syrian Coalition and its Supreme Military Council.

SOURCE: https://twitter.com/hhassan140

=> U.S. plans to more than double aid to civilian Syrian National Coalition, providing additional $60 million: Kerry

SOURCE: https://twitter.com/Saserief

DEPT OF STATE: https://twitter.com/StateDept

=> SecKerry: I am proud to announce US will provide an additional $60 million in non-lethal assistance to support Syrian Opposition Coalition.

=> SecKerry gives remarks on Syria: Bashar al-Assad is out of time, must be out of power.

=> SecKerry and opposition leaders from Syria prepare for a photo after their meeting this morning in Rome - PHOTO HERE

=> In the most extreme American involvement to date, the ‘New York Times’ reports the US is drastically increasing rebel support; report comes the day after the White House says the US seeking to increase “non-lethal” assistance.

SOURCE: Jerusalem Post

=> US announces direct non-lethal battlefield aid for Syrian rebels $60 million

SOURCE: NBC News

Tags: Aid, America, Arms, East, Fighters, Iran, Middle, Military, Rebel, Syria, More…Weapons