Since the original program was revised, U.S. military personnel have trained fewer than 100 additional fighters, mostly outside of Syria, officials said. This week, allied Syrian forces battled militants in Manbij, a key transit town near the Turkish border whose capture has been a U.S. priority. The Pentagon initiative is separate from a CIA-led training program that has provided support to rebels battling forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Those trained are specialized fighters whom military officials describe as “spotters” rather than ordinary infantry troops. (Robert Burns/AP)U.S. military officials are considering ways to ramp up training of Syrian fighters against the Islamic State as the Pentagon moves cautiously forward with a revamped program to create an effective local ground force.

Source: Washington Post June 27, 2016 22:20 UTC