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| Syria conflict: US fighter plan criticised by key rebel | Syria conflict: US fighter plan criticised by key rebel |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A US plan to build a moderate fighting force to take on the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria has been criticised by a senior rebel trained in the programme. | A US plan to build a moderate fighting force to take on the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria has been criticised by a senior rebel trained in the programme. |
| Capt Ammar al Wawi said the US and its allies failed to protect his fighters - known as Division 30 - when they came under attack in Syria last week. | Capt Ammar al Wawi said the US and its allies failed to protect his fighters - known as Division 30 - when they came under attack in Syria last week. |
| At least five fighters were killed and more than 10 abducted in clashes with the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front. | |
| Only 54 fighters had been trained so far under the programme. | |
| US President Barack Obama announced the plan last summer, pledging to train up to 5,000 fighters a year to form a moderate Sunni opposition to help take on IS militants. | |
| But Pentagon officials say they have struggled to find trainees who meet the vetting criteria. | |
| "The project is very slow," Capt Wawi told the BBC's Ian Pannell. "They are ready to train and form a national army of 15,000 fighters and we hear they are ready to back it with money, weapons and provide air cover. | "The project is very slow," Capt Wawi told the BBC's Ian Pannell. "They are ready to train and form a national army of 15,000 fighters and we hear they are ready to back it with money, weapons and provide air cover. |
| "But in reality, in six months only 60 fighters were trained. If it takes this long to train 60, it will take decades to get everyone ready." | "But in reality, in six months only 60 fighters were trained. If it takes this long to train 60, it will take decades to get everyone ready." |
| Division 30 and members of the Free Syrian Army came under attack from al-Nusra in northern Syria last Friday. | Division 30 and members of the Free Syrian Army came under attack from al-Nusra in northern Syria last Friday. |
| Al-Nusra, which is not affiliated to IS but has itself come under attack from the US in the past, said in a statement that it had captured some fighters and warned others against taking part in what it called "the American project". | Al-Nusra, which is not affiliated to IS but has itself come under attack from the US in the past, said in a statement that it had captured some fighters and warned others against taking part in what it called "the American project". |
| The US said it provided "defensive support fire" at the time of Friday's attack, although Capt Wawi said it came after the fighting had finished. | |
| "In reality, we have got no international guarantees to protect our fighters or to protect the 30th Division," Capt Wawi said. | "In reality, we have got no international guarantees to protect our fighters or to protect the 30th Division," Capt Wawi said. |
| The Syrian conflict began with an uprising against the government in Damascus, but that has since splintered, pitting rebel groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces against one another. | The Syrian conflict began with an uprising against the government in Damascus, but that has since splintered, pitting rebel groups fighting President Bashar al-Assad's forces against one another. |