US, Britain to assist militants in Syria: Report

US, Britain to assist militants in Syria: Report

Militants near the Syrian town of Azaz (file photo)

military assistance to the militants fighting the Syrian government, a report says.

A Monday report by the Independent said the head of the British Armed Forces, General Sir David Richards, held a secret meeting in London a few weeks ago with military officials from France, Turkey, Qatar, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates as well as an American general.

Officials from several other British government departments also hosted similar meetings and discussions with their counterparts in 'allied states' to review strategies and ways to 'help' the foreign-sponsored militants in crisis-stricken Syria.

The meetings were held at the request of British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has recently been calling for further efforts to undermine the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the report said.

It further claimed that the US, Britain, and France have 'pledged not to perform ground operation or deploy forces in Syria,' but their training camps will reportedly be set up in Turkey where they can train militants near the Syrian border.

The countries also believe that any military action against Syria should be carried out without the authorization of the United Nations due to likely opposition on the part of China and Russia, who will likely refuse to back a resolution against Assad's government.

Recent reports also showed that the US is planning to provide logistical assistance and sophisticated weapons for the militants fighting the Syrian government.

The reports said a wide range of modern weapons would be sent to Syria through Washington's regional allies, such as Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Syria has been the scene of unrest since March 2011, and many people, including large numbers of security and army forces, have lost their lives in the violence.

Syria says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of militants fighting the Syrian government are foreign nationals.

The government blames the US and its regional allies, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, for funding and arming the anti-Damascus militants. http://www.presstv.com/detail/2012/12/11/277382/us-britain-to-assist-militants-in-syria/