Dozens Of Americans Have Sought To Join The Rebels In Syria

Dozens of Americans Sought to Join Syrian Rebels – Reports. © RIA Novosti. Andrei Stenin

U.S. Says Dozens of Americans Have Sought to Join Rebels in Syria -- New York Times

WASHINGTON — Dozens of Americans have traveled or tried to travel to Syria to fight with the rebels against the government of President Bashar al-Assad since 2011, American intelligence officials said Wednesday.

The Americans are a small subset of the mostly radicalized young Muslims with Western passports who are entering Syria from Europe, North America and Australia, a group that numbers roughly 600, according to the officials and classified estimates from Western spy agencies. That represents a fraction of the roughly 6,000 to 11,000 foreign fighters over all who have poured into Syria by way of the Middle East and North Africa.

The Americans’ numbers are small — intelligence officials would not be more precise than saying “dozens” were involved — and they have so far not distinguished themselves on the battlefield. But they are part of what officials said was a growing presence of foreigners who are fighting Mr. Assad’s government.

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Update: Dozens of Americans Sought to Join Syrian Rebels – Reports -- RIA Novosti

My Comment: I sometimes wonder if U.S. officials and intelligence officers are truly aware on what is happening in Syria .... let alone on how many Americans have joined the rebel forces.