NICOSIA [MENL] -- For the first time in years, Syria has begun to increase
its air operations.Western intelligence sources said the regime of President Bashar Assad
has succeeded in refurbishing its aging air fleet and increasing its air
force training. The sources said Damascus has also decided on the
procurement of new Russian air defense systems.The sources said Syria began to increase its air force activity over the
last two years. They said that in 2000 the deterioration of the air force
"bottomed out" and Syria launched an effort to overhaul some of its air
assets."More planes are in the sky and there is more training of the air
force," a Western intelligence source said. "We believe that Syria has
obtained spare parts and technical aid from suppliers of the former Soviet
Union to allow for such a rebound."
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