Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles are vulnerable to being taken and used by terrorist groups, according to a new report by an Israeli think tank.
In addition to the use of chemical weapons by the Bashar al-Assad regime, “there is a real and immediate threat that chemical weapons, agents, or precursors could fall in the hands of terrorist organizations, be it Hezbollah (in which case the regime itself could be willing to provide them to its staunch ally), pro-Syrian Palestinian organizations, the Free Syrian Army, and its local units or the various Islamist and jihadists factions like Jabha al-Nusra,” the report says.
The report warned that the Assad regime alliance with Hezbollah poses a danger that chemical arms will be transferred to the group.
“The Syrians have provided in the past long-range missiles and other heavy weapons to Hezbollah and Israel has bombed attempts to transfer to the organization advanced anti-aerial SA-17 missiles,” the report said.
“The possibility of transfer of chemical weapons to the Lebanese terrorist organization is therefore realistic and worries the neighboring countries and especially Israel.”
