Pentagon Calls Syrian General's Claims on US Arms Supplies to Daesh 'Ridiculous'

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — A Pentagon representative told Sputnik on Monday that the claims made by a Syrian general about alleged US deliveries of arms to terrorists, in particular Daesh and al-Nusra Front terrorist groups in Syria, were untrue.

"These statements are absolutely ridiculous and untrue. They represent a Russian and [Syrian government] regime propaganda campaign to discredit the U.S. and our successful coalition fight against ISIS [Daesh] in Syria. US forces in Syrian territory operate under authorities to combat terrorism, and they will continue to advise and assist partner forces as long as ISIS remains either a conventional or insurgent threat," the representative said.

Earlier in the day, Syrian Gen. Ali Al Ali, chief of the main operational directorate of the Syrian army, said that the United States was supplying terrorists, not the Syrian opposition, with weapons, and the arms "eventually … fell into the hands of militants of the Islamic State [Daesh] and Jabhat al-Nusra [al-Nusra Front]."

Earlier, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Oleg Syromolotov, responsible for counter-terrorism coordination has also stated that despite steps taken by the UN, Daesh and other terror groups keep receiving weapons, ammunition, military equipment, political cover, "using counter-terror issues to achieve cynical political and geopolitical objectives." US Department of Defense spokesperson Adrian Rankine-Galloway told Sputnik that suggestions of the US-led coalition allegedly cooperating with Daesh terrorist group were baseless and unhelpful.