DHAKA: The Pentagon has said that a group of US-trained Syrian fighters had handed over ammunition and equipment to the Nusra Front, al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country, purportedly in exchange for safe passage.

The acknowledgement contrasted with earlier denials by the US Defense Department of reports that some fighters had either defected or handed over gear.

‘Unfortunately, we learned late today that the NSF (New Syrian Forces) unit now says it did in fact provide six pickup trucks and a portion of their ammunition to a suspected Al-Nusra Front (group),’ Pentagon spokesman Captain Jeff Davis said on Friday, Al Jazeera publishes this report on Saturday.

Colonel Patrick Ryder, a spokesman for Central Command, which is overseeing efforts against the Islamic State (IS) of Iraq and Syria, said the fighters had handed over the gear in exchange for safe passage in the Nusra Front operating area.

‘If accurate, the report of NSF members providing equipment to Al-Nusra Front is very concerning and a violation of Syria train-and-equip program guidelines,’ Ryder said.

Ryder added that the pickup vehicles and ammunition represented about 25 percent of the equipment issued to the group by the US-led coalition.

‘We are using all means at our disposal to look into what exactly happened and determine the appropriate response,’ Ryder said.

A defense official told the media that according to the NSF, there had not been any defections, but he stressed, ‘We only know what they have told us’.

BDST: 1022 HRS, SEPT 26, 2015
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