The U.S. is sending about 400 troops to train moderate Syrian fighters, starting this spring, Pentagon spokeswoman Cmdr. Elissa Smith tells USA Today. The military trainers, plus hundreds more support personnel, will work at four locations in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar. Coalition partners will also contribute forces as well, Defense One reports, with a goal of training 5,400 Syrian fighters a year for three years.
The more moderate Syrian opposion has faced setbacks from both President Bashar al-Assad's army and Islamic State forces. Congress provided funding for the train-and-equip mission at the end of 2014.
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