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US-trained Division 30 rebels 'betrayed' US and hand weapons over to al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria - Telegraph
Pentagon-trained rebels are reported to have betrayed US and handed weapons over to Jabhat al-Nusra immediately after entering Syria
Jabhat al-Nusra, affiliated to al-Qaeda, took the technicals, guns and ammunition from the US-trained Division 30 in northern Aleppo Photo: Reuters
By Nabih Bulos, Amman
5:22PM BST 22 Sep 2015
Pentagon-trained rebels in Syria are reported to have "betrayed" their American backers and handed their weapons over to al-Qaeda in Syria immediately after re-entering the country.
Fighters with Division 30, the “moderate” rebel division favoured by the United States, surrendered to the al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, a raft of sources claimed on Monday night.
Division 30 was the first faction whose fighters graduated from a US-led training programme in Turkey which aims to forge a force on the ground in Syria to fight against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isil).
A statement on Twitter by a man calling himself Abu Fahd al-Tunisi, a member of al-Qaeda’s local affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra, read: "A strong slap for America... the new group from Division 30 that entered yesterday hands over all of its weapons to Jabhat al-Nusra after being granted safe passage.
"They handed over a very large amount of ammunition and medium weaponry and a number of pick-ups."
Reports since yesterday claim US-backed leader Anas Obaid has betrayed US & handed weapons to Jabhat al-Nusra #Syriapic.twitter.com/yTZqVT3CI0
— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) September 22, 2015
Abu Khattab al-Maqdisi, who also purports to be a Jabhat al-Nusra member, added that Division 30's commander, Anas Ibrahim Obaid,had explained to Jabhat al-Nusra's leaders that he had tricked the coalition because he needed weapons.
"He promised to issue a statement... repudiating Division 30, the coalition, and those who trained him," he tweeted. "And he also gave a large amount of weapons to Jabhat al-Nusra."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a monitoring group, reported that seventy-five Division 30 fighters had crossed into Syria from Turkey early the day before with “12 four-wheel vehicles equipped with machine guns and ammunition”.
US Central Command confirmed about 70 graduates of the Syria “train and equip” programme had re-entered Syria with their weapons and equipment and were operating as New Syrian Forces alongside Syrian Kurds, Sunni Arab and other anti-Isil forces.
The latest disaster, if true, will be the second to befall the programme. Last month, after the first group of fighters re-entered, the militia was attacked and routed by Jabhat al-Nusra, which stormed its headquarters and kidnapped a number of its members.
At the weekend, the group’s chief of staff also resigned, saying the training programme was “not serious”.
In the statement, Lieutenant Colonel Mohammad al-Dhaher complained of insufficient numbers of trainees and fighters, inadequate supplies, and even “a lack of accuracy and method in the selection of Division 30’s cadres”.
The latest developments have only added to the scorn heaped on the much-criticized $500 million (£320m) program, which aimed to forge a 5,400-strong force of “moderate” rebels to combat Isil.
It has been hampered by problems almost from the outset, with rebels complaining of a laborious vetting process. The biggest point of contention is that they are only allowed to fight Isil, not the Assad regime, which is the principal enemy for most opposition groups.
General Lloyd Austin told the Senate Armed Services Committee that only "four or five" US-trained rebels were still fighting the Islamic State Photo: AP
Last Wednesday, General Lloyd Austin, head of US Central Command, shocked leaders in the US Senate's armed services committee when he said there were only handful of programme graduates still fighting inside Syria. "We're talking four or five," he said.
Today the public learned only 4 to 5 U.S.-trained Syrian fighters remain on the battlefield vs. ISIS. U.S. program against ISIS down to handful of fighters in Syria, General Lloyd Austin tells Congress - CBS News
— Senator Thom Tillis (@SenThomTillis) September 16, 2015
In reality they did not hand over any weapons or surrender..it went perfectly as per plan...fearing Russian involvement in Syria...this is the new style of Pentagon covert ops to strengthen Al Qaida and affiliated groups.
Well if you want to put spies in your enemy rank the best excuse is , that they betrayed their partners as soon as they entered syria gimick , nicely done
And to show their solidarity they gave up some "ammo" and some pickup trucks
Similar to how in days of old a warrior would give up his sword and few camels lol
CIA they think of every thing briliant people
Nusra shows off Mk 14 EBR taken from Division 30
Nusra shows off Mk 14 EBR taken from Division 30
The claim made in the Telegraph article that “30 rebels have betrayed the U.S. and handed over weapons to Al-Qaeda affiliates” is false. Please read the statement below for further clarification. If you see such claims in other social media platforms please feel free to use the statement below to set the record straight.
Correction to the Record: Status of New Syrian Forces in Syria
Tampa, Fla. - U.S. Central Command has no indication that any New Syrian Forces fighters have defected to Al Nusra Front, contrary to several press and social media reports. Additionally, all Coalition-issued weapons and equipment are under the positive control of NSF fighters.
Approximately 70 graduates of the Coalition's Syria Train and Equip Program successfully returned to Syria over the weekend and are currently operating there as New Syrian Forces.
While the NSF do not operate under the command and control of the Coalition, we will continue to support and enable these anti-ISIL forces as part of the campaign to degrade and ultimately defeat ISIL.
U.S. Central Command | Sept. 23: Correction to the Record: Status of New Syrian Forces in Syria
Haroon Ahmad
DET – U.S. Central Command
www.facebook.com/centcomurdu
Someone forgot to tell BBC.
Syria crisis: US-trained rebels give equipment to al-Qaeda affiliate
A group of US-trained Syrian rebels has handed over their vehicles and ammunition to fighters linked to al-Qaeda, the US military has admitted.
It said one rebel unit had surrendered six pick-up trucks and ammunition to the al-Nusra Front this week - apparently to gain safe passage.
Congress has approved $500m (£323m) to train and equip about 5,000 rebels to fight against Islamic State militants.
But the first 54 graduates were routed by al-Nusra Front, the military said.
Gen Lloyd Austin told US lawmakers last week that only "four or five" US-trained rebels were still fighting.
'Programme violation'
"Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pick-up trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected al-Nusra Front (group)," Pentagon spokesman Cpt Jeff Davis said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Col Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for US Central Command (Centcom), said this happened on 21-22 September.
He added that the surrendered vehicles and ammunition amounted to roughly 25% of the equipment issued to the unit.
"If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to al-Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train-and-equip programme guidelines," Col Ryder said.
The unit was part of some 70 rebel fighters who participated in the second US training course.
The train-and-equip programme is at an early stage, but this is just the latest in a series of setbacks, the BBC's Laura Bickers in Washington says.
Syria crisis: US-trained rebels give equipment to al-Qaeda affiliate - BBC News