Only 4 to 5 American-trained Syrians fighting against the Islamic State
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff September 16, 2015
A rebel fighter gestures as he shoots his weapon during clashes with forces loyal to Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, on the frontline of Aleppo’s Sheikh Saeed neighborhood on May 23, 2015. (Reuters/Hosam Katan)
There are only four or five American-trained Syrian rebels currently fighting against the Islamic State, the top general leading the effort to build a force to counter the militant group in Syria said Wednesday.
The tiny number of fighters are part of the New Syrian Force, the byproduct of a $500-million-dollar train and equip program that was launched officially in December to train moderate Syrians to fight the Islamic State.
The remarks by Army Gen. Lloyd Austin, head of U.S. Central Command, angered members of the Senate Armed Services Committee who said the program is a failure.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/09/16/only-4-to-5-american-trained-syrians-fighting-against-the-islamic-state/
