Russia and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad are attempting to entice US-backed rebels based at the At Tanf garrison in southern Syria to switch sides, US officials tell CNN, in an apparent bid to oust the coalition from a strategic piece of real estate that is seen as crucial to Syria and Iran's long-term interests in the region.
It's just the latest gambit in a months-long tug of war between the US and Assad and his Russian and Iranian backers in the Syrian desert.
One official said the recruitment campaign, which appears to have had very limited, if any, success to date, is aimed at mid-level commanders of the groups being trained and equipped by the US-led coalition at the At Tanf base which sits in near the tri-border area of Syria, Jordan and Iraq.
Read the full article at CNN.
Author
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Nicholas Heras
Former Fellow, Middle East Security Program
Nicholas A. Heras is a former Fellow at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS), working in the Middle East Security Program. His work focused on the analysis of complex...
