Trump to End of CIA Support for Anti-Assad Forces in Syria

US special operations chief confirms end of CIA support

for anti-Assad forces in Syria

Stunner: who saw this coming? USA doing something that might actually contribute to the ending of the conflict in Syria. Now, if they could just rein in the movement of weapons...

A US army general has confirmed that Washington has decided to put an end to a CIA scheme to equip and train certain rebel groups fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad. He insisted the policy shift had nothing to do with improving relations with Russia.

© Alaa Al-Faqir

US Army General Raymond Thomas, head of the Special Operations Command, said the decision was "based on assessment of the program."

"At least from what I know about that program and the decision to end it, (it was) absolutely not a sop to the Russians," Thomas said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday, Reuters reported.

Unnamed government sources told various media outlets last week that the decision to end the program had been partly due to the Trump administration wanting a better relationship with Russia.

Trump reportedly ordered the end of the program weeks after meeting with CIA director Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor HR McMaster.