Pentagon to empower militants fighting in Syria to call in US airstrikes: Report

The United States has planned to provide the so-called moderate militants fighting in Syria with pick-up trucks equipped with machine guns and radio to enable them to call in US airstrikes directly, a report says.

US military officials disclosed the Pentagon plan to give the insurgents Toyota Hi-Lux pick-ups outfitted with machine guns, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

The vehicles will also be provided with mortars and possibly more sophisticated anti-tank weapons, although the Pentagon has not made a decision about the circumstances under which it would provide air support to the militants.

On Tuesday, the US State Department said the United States and Turkey agreed "in principle" to train and arm the militants fighting in Syria.

"As we have announced before, Turkey has agreed to be one of the regional hosts for the train-and-equip program for moderate Syrian opposition forces," department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told reporters. "We expect to conclude and sign the agreement with Turkey soon."

The so-called train-and-equip program is likely to begin next month.

The Pentagon has said it is planning to deploy hundreds of special forces to the Middle East to train “moderate” militants outside Syria as part of the fight against ISIL terrorists, who have captured large parts of territory in Syria and around one-third of the territory of Iraq.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said on Tuesday that Ankara hopes the deal between Ankara and Washington will also strengthen the beleaguered insurgents fighting against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. 

Last month, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby told a news conference in Washington that the US military will deploy some 400 trainers in the region in the next four to six weeks, and also send a similar number of troops to help them carry out the mission.

He said that more than 5,400 militants fighting in Syria would receive training and arms in the first year of the program. In December, the US Congress approved $500 million for the Pentagon venture.

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since March 2011. The United States and its regional allies - especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey - are supporting the militants operating inside the country.

According to the United Nations, more than 200,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria for nearly four years.

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