The Intercept: The Pentagon is using a secret program to wage proxy wars around the world

Washington (ST): The Pentagon revealed that the United States was involved in running a secret program on a larger than ever level to wage proxy wars in many countries, including Syria, using American special operations forces.

An article by the American website (The Intercept) under the title (How the Pentagon Uses a Secret Program to Conduct Proxy Wars) relied on classified documents viewed by the site under the Freedom of Information Act and on interviews with current and former US officials. The program called “127E” includes 14 of the subprograms that were active in a region in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region until 2020, under which US commandos conducted 23 operations between 2017 and 2020.

Retired General Joseph Votel, who commanded US Special Operations Forces and Central Command in the Middle East, acknowledged the use of the 127E program in Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen as part of what he called counter-terrorism efforts.

Votel clarified that the “127E” program in Lebanon was codenamed Leon Hunter, and in Syria and Yemen, Yukon Hunter, while in Egypt it was called Enigma Hunter.

Another former defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the use of a copy of this program in Iraq and Tunisia as well, as well as Afghanistan, Cameroon and others.

The website pointed out that the documents and interviews provide the most detailed picture to date of a shadowy funding authority that allows US commandos to carry out operations under the guise of combating terrorism by foreign and irregular partner forces around the world. The foreigners that Washington relies on to carry out the operations are unknown even to most members of congressional committees and to the American people.

K.Q.