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Obama approves covert support to Syrian rebels
Thousands of Syrian rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad`s forces will now get covert support from the US administration, reports claimed on Thursday.
Zeenews Bureau
Washington: Thousands of Syrian rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad`s forces will now get covert support from the US administration, reports claimed on Thursday.
As per reports, President Barack Obama has signed a covert order authorizing US’ clandestine support for Syrian rebels battling the Assad regime.
Reports claimed that the secret order, referred to as an intelligence "finding," allows for clandestine support by the CIA and other agencies.
It is, however, unclear as to when President Obama signed the authorization for Syria.
The Obama administration has announced that it will increase its assistance to the opposition rebels in the wake of last month`s failure by the UN Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against al-Assad`s regime. There is also no clarity on what type of support the Obama administration will be giving to the Syrian rebels.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor has refused to comment on the issue.
The US administration has also ruled out arming the rebels for now and said that it will only provide only nonlethal assistance, such as communications equipment to them. During the war in Libya, Obama signed a similar directive authorizing covert assistance for rebels in the battle against Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The Obama administration has resisted arming the opposition, in part, because U.S. officials don`t know enough about the rebels.
With Agency Inputs
Washington: Thousands of Syrian rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad`s forces will now get covert support from the US administration, reports claimed on Thursday.
As per reports, President Barack Obama has signed a covert order authorizing US’ clandestine support for Syrian rebels battling the Assad regime.
Reports claimed that the secret order, referred to as an intelligence "finding," allows for clandestine support by the CIA and other agencies.
It is, however, unclear as to when President Obama signed the authorization for Syria.
The Obama administration has announced that it will increase its assistance to the opposition rebels in the wake of last month`s failure by the UN Security Council to agree on tougher sanctions against al-Assad`s regime. There is also no clarity on what type of support the Obama administration will be giving to the Syrian rebels.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor has refused to comment on the issue.
The US administration has also ruled out arming the rebels for now and said that it will only provide only nonlethal assistance, such as communications equipment to them. During the war in Libya, Obama signed a similar directive authorizing covert assistance for rebels in the battle against Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi.
The Obama administration has resisted arming the opposition, in part, because U.S. officials don`t know enough about the rebels.
With Agency Inputs