Syria official lashes out over US training of rebels

Americans insist program aimed at combating Islamic State extremists, not Assad’s forces

By AP 9 May 2015, 3:00 pm

Edit

Syrian rebels firing locally made shells made from gas cylinders against the Syrian forces, in Idlib province, northern Syria, Tuesday, May 21, 2013 (photo credit: (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN, File)

Syria’s deputy foreign minister has criticized a US program to train moderate rebel fighters which has begun in Jordan, saying it only fuels terrorism and will further complicate efforts to reach a political solution.

The remarks by Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad were published Saturday in his weekly column for the Lebanon-based Al-Binaa newspaper.

US officials say the program is part of a broader effort to build a force capable of fighting Islamic State extremists — not President Bashar Assad’s forces. Officials said Thursday the training started in Jordan and will be expanded to Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Mekdad said Washington is better off giving a hand to those fighting terrorism, instead of cooperating with what he said were terrorists. His government refers to all armed opposition as “terrorists.”