’Daesh’ Terrorists Using US Arms Supplied By Saudi Arabia: Study
“Daesh” [ISIL] militants appear to be using captured US military issue arms and weapons supplied to rebels in Syria by Saudi Arabia, according to a Conflict Armament Research report published on Monday.
The study by the London-based small-arms research organization Conflict Armament Research documented weapons seized by Kurdish forces from militants in Iraq and Syria over a 10-day period in July.
The report said the militants disposed of “significant quantities” of US-made small arms including M16 assault rifles.
It also included photos showing the markings “Property of US Govt.”
The report further found that anti-tank rockets used by “Daesh” in Syria were “identical to M79 rockets transferred by Saudi Arabia to forces operating under the so-called “Free Syrian Army” umbrella in 2013.”
Countries around the world, including the US and Saudi Arabia, are growing increasingly concerned that battle-hardened extremist militants are training a new generation of international fighters that could launch attacks back home.
Saudi Arabia, which at times turned a blind eye to its citizens taking up arms against people in Syria and Iraq, criminalized fighting in conflicts abroad recently this year, as has the United States of America.