US: $1.77bn to train, equip Iraqi and Syrian forces

The US has allocated $1.769 billion to train and equip Iraqi and Syrian forces as part of the Pentagon’s budget for 2018, a document belonging to the US State Department has revealed.

According to the document, a copy of which was obtained by the Anadolu Agency yesterday, the amount will be allocated as part of the “foreign operations” budget, which amounts to $64 billion.

Iraq’s share will be $1.269 billion, while Syria’s will be $500 million.

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The document also stated that over 25,000 troops will be trained in Syria to combat Daesh, while 500,000 others will be trained in the context of the new budget.

As part of the training and equipping programme in Syria, $393 million will be allocated for weapons and equipment, including heavy weapons such as anti-armour and rocket launchers.

The term “examined armed opposition” was used to describe the groups who will receive weapons. A large portion of the weapons are expected to be given to the Syrian Democratic Forces, led by the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) and People’s Protection Units (YPG), the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).