DHAKA: In a bid to bolster moderate forces in Syria against Islamic rebel factions, the CIA has reportedly been expanding a covert program to train US-backed opposition fighters in the embattled country.

The Washington Post on Thursday cited US officials as saying., reports The Jerusalem Post

According to the report, the CIA was expected to train only ‘a few hundred’ moderate fighters each month following the expansion of the programme.

The number of trained fighters would not provide enough force to overcome Islamic extremists rebels who are also fighting against Syrian president Bashar Assad’s regime, the officials said.

Such limits on the agency’s impact in Syria allow it to provide enough backing to the moderates to ensure they don’t lose in the civil war, but not enough for them to hail a victory, the Post cited the officials as saying.

BDST: 1355 HRS, OCT 03, 2013
RoR/BSK