Syrian Train and Equip Program

Train and Equip Program
Date 2013- Location Syria Result Total destruction of American-allied forces Ongoing training
Belligerents
United States	ISIL

The Train and Equip Program is an ongoing 500 million-dollar United States military operation which identifies and trains Syrian "moderate rebels" inside of Turkey who will then return to Syria to slow the spread of ISIS and overthrow the Assad Government.

Background

Main article: Syrian Civil War

As the Syrian Civil War erupted in 2011 the Obama Administration began efforts to support the overthrow of the Assad Government in Damascus. By 2013, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant had become the dominant faction in the Syrian opposition. Washington could no longer offer broad-based support to the opposition because so much material was falling into islamist hands and began searching for specific rebel factions to partner with.

The US Government earlier attempted to partner with the Hazzm Movement, but they fell to islamic-extremists and their stores of advanced American weapons were looted.

Training and hopes

The Obama Administration hopes to identify reliable, non-islamist Syrian rebels currently in Turkey. In 2013, the Pentagon identified 7,000 potential candidates for the program. After verifying their identities and passing initial tests, the candidates are trained in tactics and advanced weapons systems by the United States Department of Defense. The rebels are then outfitted with American equipment, and sent back over the border to Syria. Washington hopes to train an Army of 15,000 rebels to fight both ISIS, and the Assad Government.

Turkey has allowed about 1,000 US Troops involved in the training program to enter Turkey.

2015 failure

In the July of 2015, the first class of 54 US-trained rebels crossed the border back into Syria. Despite extensive US-air support, within the first 24 hours of their deployment the majority of the recruits were either dead or missing and their leader had been captured by the Al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. Al-Nusra Front posted photos on social media the next day showing American weapons and equipment that they had captured from the group.

By September, the Pentagon acknowledged that there were only "four or five" US-backed rebels left.

Uncertain future

There are currently 70 rebels in the program's second class. There is also a third class, but its size has not been publicized.

The elimination of the first wave of US-backed rebels has had an impact on recruitment of new candidates. The program has proven controversial very controversial and faces an uncertain future.

Some rebels have left the program after being asked to sign an agreement pledging not to attack pro-Assad forces.

See also

• Georgia Train and Equip Program

External links

• DoD Press Release about Train and Equip