CENTCOM
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The Coalition’s train and equip program does everything possible to carefully screen participants in the program and to monitor their equipment. These standards are one of the reasons that we have only trained a small number of fighters to date. Even with this screening and other precautions, we can't control every situation that these fighters encounter once they return to Syria.
Syria is a very complicated battlefield with ISIL, Al Nusra and the moderate and vetted opposition's area of control frequently and sometimes quickly shifting. This is a battlefield situation in which the moderate and vetted opposition continues to face threats on multiple fronts, including from various extremist groups. It's important to be clear eyed about the conditions in which these forces operate, the groups working against them, and the need to overcome the challenges they have encountered and will continue to face.
In this particular instance, the VSO commander leading the NSF graduates self-reported to coalition forces that under threat from Al Nusra, they surrendered six trucks and ammunition to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary to secure safe passage after being told that unless he surrendered some of his NSF equipment, his unit would be ambushed en route to their new location. We will look at what we can do to prevent such a situation in the future, but given the complexity of the battlefield it is not possible to eliminate all risk. We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response.
We are committed to strengthening and growing those forces who fight ISIL. This program remains an important tool to do so. We recognize the challenges faced by T&E program graduates and will continue to review and adapt the program to make them as effective as possible. Here is an update to the information above and I will be posting as many.
TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Central Command was notified at approximately 1 p.m. today [September 25] that a commander of a New Syrian Forces element operating in Syria surrendered some of his unit's Coalition-issued equipment to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary purportedly in exchange for safe passage within their operating area.
"Today the NSF unit contacted Coalition representatives and informed us that on Sept. 21-22 they gave six pick-up trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary, which equates to roughly 25 percent of their issued equipment," said Col. Patrick Ryder, U.S. Central Command spokesperson. "If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to Al Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train and equip program guidelines."
Earlier this week, Al Nusra Front tweeted an image of a Coalition-issued rifle and claimed that the newest NSF members had handed over all their weapons upon re-entering Syria last week. Central Command conducted an analysis of the image depicted in the Tweet and determined the claim to be false. This determination was based on NSF members reporting that all personnel and equipment were under NSF control and because the tweeted image was an old picture repurposed from the Facebook page of a previously deployed NSF fighter from a different training class.
"In light of this new information, we wanted to ensure the public was informed as quickly as possible about the facts as we know them at this time," said Col. Ryder. "We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response."
Haroon Ahmad
DET - U.S. Central Command
United States Central Command - Urdu
Syria is a very complicated battlefield with ISIL, Al Nusra and the moderate and vetted opposition's area of control frequently and sometimes quickly shifting. This is a battlefield situation in which the moderate and vetted opposition continues to face threats on multiple fronts, including from various extremist groups. It's important to be clear eyed about the conditions in which these forces operate, the groups working against them, and the need to overcome the challenges they have encountered and will continue to face.
In this particular instance, the VSO commander leading the NSF graduates self-reported to coalition forces that under threat from Al Nusra, they surrendered six trucks and ammunition to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary to secure safe passage after being told that unless he surrendered some of his NSF equipment, his unit would be ambushed en route to their new location. We will look at what we can do to prevent such a situation in the future, but given the complexity of the battlefield it is not possible to eliminate all risk. We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response.
We are committed to strengthening and growing those forces who fight ISIL. This program remains an important tool to do so. We recognize the challenges faced by T&E program graduates and will continue to review and adapt the program to make them as effective as possible. Here is an update to the information above and I will be posting as many.
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And here is the official press release that @forcetrip was quoting from. Thank you all for your patience and attention.
Reports of New Syrian Force Equipment Being Provided to Al Nusra Front
And here is the official press release that @forcetrip was quoting from. Thank you all for your patience and attention.
Reports of New Syrian Force Equipment Being Provided to Al Nusra Front
TAMPA, Fla. - U.S. Central Command was notified at approximately 1 p.m. today [September 25] that a commander of a New Syrian Forces element operating in Syria surrendered some of his unit's Coalition-issued equipment to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary purportedly in exchange for safe passage within their operating area.
"Today the NSF unit contacted Coalition representatives and informed us that on Sept. 21-22 they gave six pick-up trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected Al Nusra Front intermediary, which equates to roughly 25 percent of their issued equipment," said Col. Patrick Ryder, U.S. Central Command spokesperson. "If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to Al Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train and equip program guidelines."
Earlier this week, Al Nusra Front tweeted an image of a Coalition-issued rifle and claimed that the newest NSF members had handed over all their weapons upon re-entering Syria last week. Central Command conducted an analysis of the image depicted in the Tweet and determined the claim to be false. This determination was based on NSF members reporting that all personnel and equipment were under NSF control and because the tweeted image was an old picture repurposed from the Facebook page of a previously deployed NSF fighter from a different training class.
"In light of this new information, we wanted to ensure the public was informed as quickly as possible about the facts as we know them at this time," said Col. Ryder. "We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response."
Haroon Ahmad
DET - U.S. Central Command
United States Central Command - Urdu
