Translated material
Trump decided to curtail the CIA program to support Syrian rebels
US President Donald Trump has decided to curtail the CIA's program to support the Syrian rebels, The Washington Post reports, citing US government sources.
The decision came about a month ago after Trump met with CIA chief Mike Pompeo and his National Security Adviser Herbert McMaster. The meeting was held ahead of Trump's first talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
According to the newspaper's interlocutors, the decision reflects Trump's desire to cooperate with Russia, which supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and is unhappy with American support for the armed opposition. In addition, it indicates US moderation on the issue of removing Assad, the sources say.
Many of the rebels involved in the program were operating in southeastern Syria, an area where Russia and the United States agreed to a truce in July. In February 2017, Reuters wrote that the CIA had frozen a program to support the rebels who control territories in the northwest of the country.
Some current and former officials who support the program see the decision as a big concession. "This is a big decision," one current official said on condition of anonymity. "Putin won in Syria."
- The CIA program to support the armed opposition in Syria has been in existence, it is believed, since 2013. Within its framework, the rebels received money and ammunition and underwent military training. The United States is also backing rebels in Syria fighting Islamic State terrorists.