U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said Monday that approximately 70 U.S.-trained Syrian rebels successfully re-entered Syria with weapons and equipment and are currently operating as the New Syrian Forces (NSF).
The public acknowledgement comes after several news outlets reported the rebels’ reentry on Sunday morning.
{mosads}Centcom said the NSF will fight alongside “vetted opposition forces” and employ their training and equipment to enhance the efforts of “these larger units” already in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
The NSF will add to gains already being made by “tens of thousands” of Syrian Kurds, Sunni Arabs and other anti-ISIS forces, Centcom said.
Those forces have re-secured more than 17,000 sq. km. of territory previously held by ISIS.
“While the NSF do not operate under the command and control of the Coalition, we will continue to support and enable them as part of the ongoing campaign to degrade and ultimately defeat [ISIS],” Centcom said.
Last week, Centcom commander Gen. Lloyd Austin said only “four or five” of the first group of 54 U.S.-trained rebels still existed. Centcom later revised that number to nine.
The first group came under attack by al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, al Nusra Front, who kidnapped several rebels and killed one.