United Kingdom moves toward arming Syrian rebels

If the death in Syria rises much higher, the United Kingdom may send rebel fighters weapons and ammunition, one top government official said.

The U.K. has to do “something new to save lives,” said Foreign Secretary William Hague, The Telegraph reported. Mr. Hague is due to outline a new aid package to the Syrian rebels to members of Parliament this week. His recommendations are expected to include body armor and vehicles for civilians that can resist shrapnel, The Telegraph reported.

He also said weapons aren’t ruled out, if the conflict continues to escalate.

“I don’t rule out anything for the future,” Mr. Hague said in The Telegraph. “If this is going to go on for months, or years, and more tens of thousands of people are going to die, and countries like Iraq and Lebanon and Jordan are going to be destabilized, it’s not something we can ignore.”