French Special Forces On Ground In Syria…To Advise Rebels

June 9th, 2016

Awake Goy

France has confirmed that it has deployed its special forces on the ground in northern Syria

A French Defense Ministry official said that they were there advise Syrian rebels in their fight against ISIS: “The offensive at Manbij is clearly being backed by a certain number of states including France. It’s the usual support – it’s advisory”

The French special forces will not intervene militarily themselves and are not supposed to engage in combat with ISIS militants, the ministry official added.

RT reports:

Until now, France admitted the presence of some 150 special forces in the region, all of them in Iraqi Kurdistan.

Manbij is a key strategic town under Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) control in northern Syria. It’s a waypoint between the Turkish border and the IS-held Raqqa.

The latest comment isn’t the first hint at France’s presence in Syria: last Friday, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian told the Public Senat TV channel that Paris was “providing support through weapons supplies, air presence and advice.”

France isn’t the only Western country in Syria: about two weeks ago, footage emerged of US special forces fighting alongside Kurdish militia near the city of Raqqa, a month after Obama said some 250 troops would be deployed in the region.