Syrian rebels fighting for control of the Syrias biggest town, Aleppo, have obtained their first heavy weapons 220-mm MLRS rocket launchers through a large-scale supply operation run by Saudi intelligence chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, according to DEBKAfiles exclusive intelligence sources.
His agents scoured the Balkans nations of Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo and for large wads of cash snapped up Russian-made MLRS (Smerch) and Hurricane 9K57 launchers capable of firing scores of 220-mm rockets to a distance of 70 kilometers.
The Saudis hope to expedite the rebel capture of the big Syrian Nairab air base attached to Aleppos international air port. The Saudi prince has personally taken the Nairab battle under his wing, convinced that it is the key to the conquest of Aleppo, once Syria's national commercial and population center, after more than a years impasse in the battle for its control.
The fall of this air base would also substantially reduce the big Iranian and Russian airlifts to Assads army.
Russia brings down its cargo planes loaded with weapons and replacement parts for the Syrian army at Nairab after the air facilities around Damascus were targeted by rebel fire. Moscow has since warned the rebels that if they attack incoming or outgoing Russian planes at Nairab, Russian special forces will come in to wipe out their strength around the base and take over its protection themselves.
http://www.debka.com/article/22857/
Bandar Bush himself is running the show.