US-trained Syrian rebels gave trucks and ammunition to Al Nusra

This startling acknowledgement from the Pentagon contrasted with earlier denials of reports that some fighters had either defected or handed over equipment.

Southern Front rebels from the Free Syrian Army take their positions as one aims his weapon at the front line in the north-west countryside of Deraa on March 3, 2015. Stringer/Reuters
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WASHINGTON // A group of US-trained Syrian rebels handed over ammunition and vehicles to Al Qaeda’s affiliate in the country, Jabhat Al Nusra, purportedly in exchange for safe passage, the Pentagon has said.

The startling acknowledgement contrasted with earlier Pentagon denials of reports that some fighters had either defected or handed over equipment.

“Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pickup trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected Al Nusra Front group,” said Pentagon spokesman Capt Jeff Davis on Friday.

Col Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for US central command (Centcom), which is overseeing efforts against ISIL in Iraq and Syria, said the fighters handed over the ammunition and vehicles in exchange for safe passage in an Al Nusra operating area.

“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.

He added that the pickup vehicles and ammunition represented about 25 per cent of the equipment issued to the group by the US-led coalition.

“We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response,” Col Ryder said.

The development is another embarrassing setback for the US effort to “train and equip” moderate Syrian rebels to fight ISIL extremists in Syria.

The US$500 million (Dh1.8bn) programme originally aimed to prepare 5,400 vetted fighters a year for three years but problems finding suitable candidates have meant that only a fraction of this number has been trained.

The first graduates of the programme, a group of 54 fighters, were attacked by Al Nusra in July and the Pentagon isn’t sure what happened to them all. At least one was killed.

The second group, of about 70, was sent to Syria last weekend and reports began circulating on Twitter soon after that they had either defected or handed over equipment.

Last week, before the insertion of the new fighters, the US general overseeing efforts against ISIL drew disbelief from senior lawmakers when he told them that only “four or five” US-trained rebels were on the ground fighting in Syria.

* Agence France-Presse