US boosts non-lethal aid to Syrian opposition

Kurds call for coalition airstrikes against IS as Obama pushes to allocate additional $70 million to rebel groups

The Obama administration said Friday that it wants to boost non-lethal assistance to moderate Syrian opposition groups.

In an announcement coinciding with the fourth anniversary of the start of the conflict, the US State Department said Friday it is working with Congress to provide an additional $70 million in aid to opposition groups. That amount includes $25 million for vetted members of the armed opposition to enhance their ability to defend themselves. The department did elaborate on the exact nature of that support, which in the past has included vehicles, medical kits and food.

Another $30 million will go to local authorities in rebel-held areas. The rest is for training to secure communications and collect evidence of possible war crimes.

If Congress approves it, the new aid will bring to nearly $400 million the amount the US has given the opposition since 2011.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Syria’s main Kurdish force called on the US-led coalition on Friday to attack Islamic State group positions in northeastern Syria where the jihadis are on the offensive.

The call by Redor Khalil came as activists said dozens of Kurdish and IS fighters were killed this week in clashes near the Syrian village of Tal Tamr. The IS fighters have also been attacking the predominantly Kurdish northern Syrian town of Ras al-Ayn on the border with Turkey.

Khalil, a spokesman for the People’s Protection Units, or YPG, also called in his statement for young men in the area to join the battle against IS, saying the jihadi group has brought in reinforcements from Syria and Iraq for the offensive in Tal Tamr and Ras al-Ayn.

“Everyone is urged to come and defend,” Khalil said.

Weeks of airstrikes by the US-led coalition recently helped tip the balance against IS fighters in their attack on the northern Syrian town of Kobani. Since then, YPG fighters have regained full control of Kobani as well as dozens of surrounding villages.

“Daesh was not able to achieve its goal in Kobani and it is now trying to achieve that” in Tal Tamr and Ras al-Ayn, Khalil said using an Arabic acronym to refer to the Islamic State group.