LONDON, July 5: WikiLeaks said on Thursday it was publishing over two million emails from Syrian political figures dating back to 2006 but also covering the period of the crackdown on dissent by Syria’s regime.

“Just now... WikiLeaks began publishing the Syria files, more than two million emails from Syrian political figures, ministries and associated companies dating from August 2006 to March 2012,” said Sarah Harrison, spokeswoman for the anti-secrecy website.

The latest disclosures could throw fresh light on the working of the Syrian regime and its interactions with allies in the run-up to and during the current crackdown.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the 16 months of bloodshed in Syria have claimed more than 16,500 lives.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who is currently holed up in Ecuador’s embassy in London seeking political asylum, said in a written statement: “The material is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria’s external opponents.

“It is only through understanding this conflict that we can hope to resolve it.”

WikiLeaks said the first files, released on Wednesday, revealed that Italian defence giant Finmeccanica provided communications equipment to the Syrian regime since the unrest began.

WikiLeaks said the 2,434,899 emails came from Syrian ministries, including foreign affairs, finance and presidential affairs. There are around 400,000 emails in Arabic but also 68,000 in Russian.—AFP