The United States said on Monday it carried out an ammunition airdrop for Syrian Arab groups battling Islamic State, as Washington shifts its focus to arming fighters inside Syria after ending a failed program to train a new rebel force.
US air force C-17 cargo aircraft flew into northern Syria on Sunday to carry out the mission and all aircraft exited the airdrop area safely, the US military’s Central Command said.
The US military did not name the individual groups that received the small arms ammunition but said their leaders had been screened by the United States, which wants to avoid weapons falling into the hands of Islamic State and al Qaida-linked fighters.
“This successful airdrop provided ammunition to Syrian Arab groups whose leaders were appropriately vetted by the United States,” spokesman Colonel Patrick Ryder said in a statement.