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U.S. military starts training Syrian fighters to combat Islamic State
Source: Reuters
World | Thu May 7, 2015 5:08pm EDT
U.S. military starts training Syrian fighters to combat Islamic State
WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL | BY PHIL STEWART AND DASHA AFANASIEVA
(Reuters) - The United States has begun a long-awaited program to train Syrian fighters to go into combat against Islamic State, the Pentagon said on Thursday, deepening America's role in Syria's civil war after eight months of airstrikes against the Sunni militants.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the military was starting small, training a first group of just 90 Syrians, who would be paid a stipend and could expect some still-undefined support once they return to the battlefield.
A spokesman for the government of Jordan said the training began there several days ago and U.S. and Middle Eastern sources told Reuters the training would soon start at another site in Turkey.
Syrian rebels and members of the U.S. Congress are deeply skeptical, with some lawmakers saying the program is too small and slow. The Pentagon forecasts it will take three years to train and arm more than 15,000 opposition forces.
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U.S. military starts training Syrian fighters to combat Islamic State
WASHINGTON/ISTANBUL | BY PHIL STEWART AND DASHA AFANASIEVA
(Reuters) - The United States has begun a long-awaited program to train Syrian fighters to go into combat against Islamic State, the Pentagon said on Thursday, deepening America's role in Syria's civil war after eight months of airstrikes against the Sunni militants.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter said the military was starting small, training a first group of just 90 Syrians, who would be paid a stipend and could expect some still-undefined support once they return to the battlefield.
A spokesman for the government of Jordan said the training began there several days ago and U.S. and Middle Eastern sources told Reuters the training would soon start at another site in Turkey.
Syrian rebels and members of the U.S. Congress are deeply skeptical, with some lawmakers saying the program is too small and slow. The Pentagon forecasts it will take three years to train and arm more than 15,000 opposition forces.
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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/07/us-syria-crisis-usa-idUSKBN0NS1SF20150507