Your trusted source

The U.S. effort to build a moderate Syrian opposition force that can stand up to Islamic State rebels is moving more slowly than expected due to complications vetting volunteers and bringing them out of Syria for training, the Pentagon said on Thursday.

Army Colonel Steve Warren, a Defense Department spokesman, said between 100 and 200 Syrian fighters were undergoing training in the region, while hundreds more were still being screened or waiting to be brought out of the country.

"As of now, none have completed training," Warren said.
ADVERTISING

"We are certainly below our expectation on throughput," he added. "As far as recruits for the Syrian train-and-equip mission, we're satisfied. It's the final step that we're having difficulty (with)."

He said some 6,000 Syrians had volunteered to participate in the U.S.-backed effort to train and equip a politically moderate Syrian military force. Of that number, 4,000 were waiting to be vetted. Some 1,500 have fully completed the screening process required to begin training, Defense officials said.