Wikileaks to release 2.5 million emails related to Syrian Government

Whistelblowing website Wikileaks has begun to release 2.5 million confidential emails relating to the Syrian Government.

Wikileaks founder Julian Assange said that the emails, which detail a number of business dealings between the Syrian government and outside firms, will show how international companies assisted the regime in critical projects.

"The material is embarrassing to Syria, but it is also embarrassing to Syria's opponents," Assange said.

"It helps us not merely to criticise one group or another, but to understand their interests, actions and thoughts. It's only through understands this conflict that we can hope to resolve it."

Syria currently finds itself in disorder as citizen's rebel against the current regime. The conflict engulfing the Middle Eastern country has reportedly resulted in as many as 15,000 deaths over the past 16 months.

Wikileaks began its release of the emails by unveiling 25 dispatches which focus on two Western firms that helped Syria set up a secure radio network during the start of the country's violent suppression of citizens.

According to the emails, Italian networking vendor Selex Elsag and Greek networking company Intracom both supplied Syria with radio networking equipment throughout the uprising.

Emails show that both networking companies had to continually find workarounds as UN sanctions began to pile up against Syria.

According to Wikileaks, the firms have only recently stopped assisting the country in the maintenance of its radio networks.

Wikileaks most recent publishing comes as the foundation's founder remains entrenched in the Ecuadorian embassy in London. Assange is waiting to hear if Ecuadorian officials will grant him asylum in their country.

The Australian native faces extradition to Sweden where he is wanted for questioning in a case involving the sexual assault of two Wikileaks volunteers. Assange has publicly denied any wrong doing in the case.

An Ecuadorian diplomat recently showed his support for the Wikileaks founder in an interview with Australian newspaper the Herald Sun. Ecuadorian chief diplomat Ricardo Patino told the Herald Sun that he thinks Assange did nothing wrong in Sweden.

"Personally, [I think] this is hilarious. [He] is charged because his condom broke," Patino said.

Patino told the paper that one of the reported victims filed her original complaint, because she "realised that on certain nights, the condom broke."

Ecuador has been reviewing the sexual assault charges as they consider Assange's request for asylum.