Syria: North Korean military 'advising Assad regime'

The Telegraph

Between 11 and 15 North Korean military officers are advising the Syrian government forces in tactics and the use of artillery against the rebels, reports claim.

By Julian Ryall in Tokyo

Rami Abdul Rahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, told South Korea's Chosun Ilbo newspaper that the North Korean officers were "deployed in a number of areas, including defence factories southeast of Aleppo and at regular forces' positions in the city."

The officers reportedly speak Arabic and "provide logistical support and help with plans for military operations," Mr Rahman said.

He added that they also "supervise artillery bombardments by the regular army."

Similar allegations have been made in a report by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth.

North Korea helped Syria build a nuclear plant that was destroyed by the Israeli military in 2007. There have been repeated reports that Pyongyang is supplying the Syrian regime with weapons technology, including chemical weapons.

The regime is also being bolstered with Russian weapons and pro-Iranian Hizbollah forces.

Recently the EU voted to lift an embargo on arms for the rebels, but any move to actually supply arms to the forces fighting against Assad has been officially postponed until August at least.

Western governments also fear that weapons will fall into the hands of foreign jihadists currently fighting in Syria who may one day seek to use those weapons against the West.