GAZIANTEP
Next month, 400 U.S. troops will begin training Syrian opposition forces, Syria’s interim prime minister, Ahmed Tomeh, said on Wednesday night.
“The program to train and equip opposition forces by the U.S. military will begin next month,” Tuma told The Anadolu Agency, “I believe this program will allow for a more effective fight in the field.”
Last week, U.S. Army Major General Michael Nagata met with officials from the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces in Istanbul to discuss details of the program.
The U.S. military will train and equip Syrian opposition forces in Syria’s neighboring countries -- Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Jordan -- which had earlier agreed to host the training sites.
“The program’s main aim is to prepare the infrastructure of a civil, democratic and unitary state – an alternative to Assad’s regime,” said the interim prime minister.
- Japanese hostages in ISIL’s hands
Ahmed Tomeh stated that Japan had not yet requested any help concerning the release of two Japanese nationals held hostage by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
“If the Japanese government requests help, we will do everything we can,” Tomeh said.
In a video released Tuesday, Japan was ordered to pay a $200 million ransom within 72 hours to secure the two men’s release. Japanese government sources said they were unclear on when the deadline would expire but later said they believed it was 2.50 p.m. Friday (0550GMT).
