DHAKA: Saudi Arabia’s crown prince said Tuesday the international community has ‘betrayed’ Syrian rebels by failing to arm them against the regime of president Bashar al-Assad.

‘The legitimate Syrian resistance has been betrayed by the international community and left easy prey to tyrant forces,’ Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz told the Arab summit in Kuwait City.

He was referring to unkept promises by several nations to arm fighters battling to topple the Assad government, which is backed by Russia and Iran.

Saudi Arabia is one of the main backers of the rebellion against Assad that erupted three years ago and has become a full-fledged civil war after loyalists launched a crackdown against protesters seeking democratic reforms, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 1732 HRS, MAR 25, 2014