Syria's top rebel commander has accused British Prime Minister David Cameron of betrayal after Britain abandoned plans to arm the Syrian opposition.
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General Salim Idris of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) said the decision would ''leave us alone to be killed'' by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
A spokesmen for Mr Cameron said he had ruled out arming the opposition on advice from the British military, despite successfully lobbying two months ago for an end to the European Union arms embargo. British military chiefs are understood to have warned the conflict was now too advanced for basic weapons supplies to make much difference.
They said that could be achieved only by larger-scale intervention, involving air strikes on regime defences and bases, which Britain has already ruled out.
''The West promises and promises. This is a joke now,'' General Idris said. ''I have not had the opportunity to ask David Cameron personally if he will leave us alone to be killed. On behalf of all the Syrians, thank you very much.''
Syrian troops backed by tanks and artillery have moved into the rebel-held Qaboun district of Damascus, stepping up efforts to drive the opposition from the capital.
Backed by fighters from Iran and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, Syrian forces have also captured several key towns in recent weeks from the rebels, who have complained foreign weapon supplies have all but dried up.
''What are our friends in the West waiting for?'' asked General Idris. ''For Iran and Hezbollah to kill all the Syrian people?''
General Idris also warned a refusal to arm the more moderate elements of the insurgency would hand Syria's ''revolution'' to extremist groups that already had better access to weapons.
''Soon there will be no FSA to arm,'' he said. ''The Islamic groups will take control of everything.''
Last month, British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Britain ''shouldn't rule any option out'', dismissing concerns about arms going to jihadists as exaggerated.
One source suggested such rhetoric had been part of a plan by Britain to encourage the Assad regime to take part in the peace conference in Geneva, planned for later this northern summer.
