18-04-2024 03:46 AM Jerusalem Timing

Images, Video Prove Turkey Sending Arms to Syria Militants

Images, Video Prove Turkey Sending Arms to Syria Militants

A Turkish daily published on Friday images and video footage showing trucks belonging to Turkey’s state intelligence service carrying weapons en route to terrorist militants in Syria.

A Turkish daily published on Friday images and video footage showing trucks belonging to Turkey's state intelligence service carrying weapons en route to terrorist militants in Syria.

The footage published on opposition Cumhuriyet daily's website shows inspectors searching a metallic container watched by security officers, a prosecutor and sniffer dogs. 

Turkey accused of sending arms to Syrian jihadistsThe officials first open cardboard boxes marked as "fragile" and full of antibiotics. But under those boxes they find dozens of mortar shells, the video, shot by an anonymous bystander, appears to show.

Cumhuriyet, which also published a series of still images, said the weapons were of Russian origin and had been supplied from ex-Soviet countries.

 The daily reported the trucks were carrying a total of 1,000 mortar shells, 80,000 rounds of ammunition for light and heavy weapons as well as hundreds of grenade launchers.

The Turkish government has vehemently denied earlier claims that it is arming rebels fighting in Syria and accused dozens of prosecutors, soldiers and security officers involved in the searching of trucks of attempting to bring it down by suggesting that it is doing so.

Earlier this month, Turkey arrested four prosecutors who ordered searches in a similar incident in January 2014 and they are now in prison pending trial.
More than 30 security officers involved in that interception also face charges including military espionage and attempting to overthrow the government.