WASHINGTON, (ST)- The United States has acknowledged sending 70 terrorists of what it misleadingly called “moderate opposition” to Syria after it had trained and armed them in Turkey.
AFP quoted the US Central Command “Centcom” as claiming in a statement on Monday that those 70 “gunmen” who returned to Syria have joined the ranks of armed factions vetted by the United States.
Centcom pointed out that the “gunmen” wouldn’t fight under the leadership of the anti-ISIL international coalition, but the U.S. will continue supporting them.
Some websites reported on Sunday that 75 terrorists classified by the United States as “moderate opposition” have entered Aleppo northern countryside from the Turkish territories after they received military training there.
Within the framework of its support for terrorists in Syria, the United States announced a program to provide training to the so-called “moderate opposition” in cooperation with the Turkish regime of Recepe Tayyip Erdogan at an annual cost of $500 million.
The first batch of the terrorists, a group of 54, was sent to Syria last July allegedly to fight ISIL, but only 5 of them remained fighting as the Chief of the US Central Command, General Lloyd Austin said.
Republican members at the US Senate described the US training program as farce and completely failed.
Hamda Mustafa