13/06/2012 10:08
Hillary Clinton worried Russia may send Syria attack helicopters
The United States is worried Russia may be sending Syria attack helicopters and views Russian claims that its arms transfers to Syria are unrelated to the conflict there as "patently untrue," U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday.
As the Reuters reports, the comments came as the Pentagon found itself on the defensive for doing business with Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, given concerns in Congress about the firm's role in arming the Syrian regime.
Her comments came as the U.N. peacekeeping chief, Herve Ladsous, told reporters that Syria has seen a “massive increase in the level of violence” and is now in an all-out civil war. He said the Syrian government has lost several areas to the opposition and wants to retake them using tanks, artillery and attack helicopters, the Voice of America says.
The 15-month-old conflict in Syria has grown into a full-scale civil war, the U.N. peacekeeping chief said on Tuesday.