US aircraft have carried out an air drop of small arms ammunition to Syrian Arab rebels in northern Syria.
Colonel Steve Warren, spokesman for the US military in Kuwait, said the airdrop conducted by Air Force C-17 cargo planes occurred on Sunday.
It comes just days after the Pentagon announced it was “overhauling” a programme to train and equip “moderate” rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al Assad and the Islamic State.
The airdrop was part of the United States’ revamped strategy for supporting the rebels.
Col Warren did not identify the groups that received the supplies but he said their leaders had been vetted.
The only group on the ground to have success against IS while cooperating with the US-led coalition is a Kurdish militia, the People’s Protection Units or YPG.
The group has carved out an autonomous zone in northern Syria and advanced deep into Raqqa province, an IS stronghold.
YPG announced on Monday it had formed a new alliance with small groups of Arab fighters.
Washington previously signalled it could direct money and weapons to Arab commanders willing to cooperate with YPG.
The airdrop also comes within weeks of Russia’s intervention in Syria on the side of the Assad regime.
The US and its Western allies have been at odds with Moscow in their call for Assad’s downfall.
NATO believes Russia’s strategy of attacking wider opposition to the Assad government in addition to IS will prolong the crisis.
Vladimir Putin has rejected the West’s position that Mr Assad is an obstacle to peace.
The Russian leader says Moscow’s objective is to “stabilise the legal government and create the right conditions for reaching a political compromise”.
Credit: Sky News
