Turkey will train Syrian rebels, official says

SANTIAGO, Chile – U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Saturday the U.S. is making “considerable progress” in its negotiations with Turkey over the plan to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels in their fight against Islamic State militants.

A senior U.S. official confirmed that Turkey has agreed to train the Syrian moderates inside Turkey.

Hagel said he spoke at length Saturday with the U.S. envoy for the Syria and Iraq mission, retired Gen. John Allen. He said Allen continues to work to get other international partners, including those in the Middle East, involved in the training program.

Hagel, who is in Chile for meetings with leaders, also said the U.S. continues to use airstrikes to go after Islamic State militants in the Syrian border town of Kobani. But he said extremists are still threatening the town and are occupying part of the outskirts.

“It’s a dangerous situation,” he said, adding that the U.S. is doing what it can from the air and, “in fact, there has been some progress made in that area.”

He gave a more upbeat assessment of the security situation in Baghdad. He said Iraqi security forces are “in full control” of the capital and that the U.S. continues to add military support to that region.

Associated Press