Coalition will no longer support rebel group in S. Syria - Pentagon

WASHINGTON, July 27 (KUNA) -- The coalition will no longer be supporting the operations of rebel group Shuhada Al-Qaryatayn in southern Syria, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Spokesman of the Combined Joint Task Force Ryan Dillon told reporters in southern Syria, the Shuhada Al-Qaryatayn "one of our partner forces there, unilaterally, without U.S. or coalition permission or coordination, conducted patrols outside of the agreed upon de-escalation zone and engaged in activities not focused on fighting (IS)." He stressed that the coalition "only supports partner forces committed to fighting (IS)." He noted that the group "have been important partners in the fight against (IS) in southern Syria. However, the coalition will no longer support their operations." He added that the coalition "will support and train and advise and assist and accompany vetted partner forces in southern Syria that wish to defeat (IS)." He reiterated saying "we have made it very clear time and again that our goal in Syria and in Iraq is to fight (IS) and fight (IS) only. And our partner forces, we've asked them, you know, to be committed to that same mission." "We had an element, a partner force that we were working with, who wanted to pursue other objects, and those objectives were not consistent with defeating (IS)," Dillon stressed.
He added "we have since talked with them and made them know that we cannot support them if they want to pursue objectives other than defeating (IS) ..so, that's exactly what we've done." "We are no longer going to support this particular group because that is what they want to do," he re-affirmed. (end) si.mt