Senior US administration officials announced on Tuesday that the US will directly arm the militants to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The administration also is considering supplying nonlethal military equipment such as armor, communications gear, night-vision goggles and vehicles to Syrian insurgent groups, officials said.

The decision comes as Syria’s United Nations ambassador urged the UN to investigate a case of use of chemical materials by armed rebels on civilians.

Bashar al-Jaafari said at a press conference on Tuesday that the militants spread the contents of plastic bags containing chemical material during the attack.

Syrian army has been fighting with several foreign terrorist gangs and armed groups in a two-year bloody insurgency, including al-Qaeda and al-Nusra terrorist front.

The rebels seeking to overthrow the government frequently use car bombs and have fired mortar rounds into civilian areas of the capital. Government artillery and warplanes also have targeted civilian districts where rebel presence is suspected.

United States, Israel and some of their western allies have been supporting the insurgency, and pressuring to topple the legitimate government of the Syria which is supported by majority of Syrian people.