°µºÚ±¬ÁÏ

© 2025
NPR °µºÚ±¬ÁÏ, Colorado Stories
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Reports: U.S. Eyeing 'Direct' Aid To Syrian Rebels, Though Not Weapons

Rebel fighters in Aleppo, Syria, in January.
Thomas Rassloff
/
DPA /LANDOV
Rebel fighters in Aleppo, Syria, in January.

"The Obama administration is moving toward a major policy shift on Syria that could provide rebels there with equipment such as body armor and armored vehicles, and possibly military training, and could send humanitarian assistance directly to Syria's opposition political coalition," . It cites as its sources "U.S. and European officials."

The Post adds that "U.S. officials remain opposed to providing weapons to the rebels," who for two years have been trying to topple the regime of President Bashar Assad.

it has been told by sources familiar with the discussions that the aid being discussed includes "a range of options, from training on chemical weapons security to giving equipment that includes combat armor." The network says that "the specifics have not yet been decided and the U.S. State Department is not commenting" and notes that "Secretary of State John Kerry is in Paris Wednesday and is consulting with European partners on the type of support to offer the Syrian opposition leaders when they meet Thursday in Rome."

, "throughout the two-year conflict" in Syria that has cost tens of thousands of lives, "Washington has not provided either side with direct aid or military assistance."

Meanwhile, on Morning Edition today, NPR's Deborah Amos looked at how:

" ."

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
Related Content