US Approval of Arms Supplies to Syria to Benefit Militants, Fuel Crisis

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Thursday, President Barack Obama waived legal restrictions outlined in the US Arms Export Control Act, which forbids providing defense-related supplies or services to countries that are not cooperating fully with US anti-terrorism efforts. A US government administration official told Sputnik Thursday that Obama lifted US restrictions on arming partners in Syria to facilitate the Raqqa offensive.

"These deliveries [from the United States] were meant for Jabhat al-Nusra, and temporary ceasefire, and those zones… were very likely meant to deliver supplies to Nusra to save it and keep it battle-ready," said.

The lawmaker could be referring to "no-fly" zones proposed by the United States.

"Trump has already said that it was Islamic State [Daesh] that had to be fought in Syria, not [President Bashar] Assad, which is our point of view as well, but in reality… the actions of Washington are the same as before, despite Trump's rhetoric," Slutsky said.

The politician expressed hope that the US policy on Syria would change in the future.

US President-elect Donald Trump signaled during the election campaign that he would work with Russia and Syrian President Bashar Assad to defeat the Daesh terrorist group.

The Syrian civil war is ongoing since March 2011, with many armed groups including terrorist organizations such as Daesh and Jabhat Fatah al Sham (both outlawed in Russia) involved in the conflict. The Syrian Army is currently in the process of retaking the remaining districts held by militants in southern Aleppo.