British Special Forces In Syria Frontline Role.
07.06.2016
British Special Forces have been operating on the front line in the fight against ISIS in Syria, it has been reported.
According to a report in The Times, rebel commanders have confirmed that United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF) have crossed the Jordan-Syria border to assist New Syrian Army (NSA) forces.[1] [2]
UKSF actions include helping the NSA to defend the village of al-Tanf, in the south-east of the country. Support has included assisting with engineering tasks such as fortifying bunkers.
The NSA is comprised of former Syrian special forces soldiers who had defected from the Assad regime. UKSF have since trained the unit, and it would now appear, are working alongside them inside Syria.
There have been numerous previous reports of UKSF operating within Syria although these have mostly been published by the tabloid press and so are less credible than this Times story. UKSF elements were believed to have been training rebel forces inside Jordan but this is the first credible report of British troops operating over the border.
more info / further reading
- 1. UK special forces take frontline role in Syria
(The Times)
- 2. British special forces 'operating inside Syria alongside rebels'
(The Telegraph)
