Advertisement

Norway to send 60 soldiers to train Syrians fighting Isis

AFP
AFP - [email protected]
Norway to send 60 soldiers to train Syrians fighting Isis
Norwegian troops are already training Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the Iraqi Kurdistan region. Photo: Torbjørn Kjosvold/Forsvaret

Norway announced on Monday that it would deploy 60 soldiers to train Syrians fighting the Islamic State (Isis) group, boosting its involvement in the international coalition against the jihadists.

Advertisement

The soldiers belonging to the Norwegian special forces would conduct the training in Jordan, Prime Minister Erna Solberg said at a press conference in Oslo.
 
"The brutal acts by IS have cost many civilians their lives and led an even greater number to flee [the country]," Solberg said, employing one of several names used to describe the terrorist group.
 
The Isis group has also "brought terrorism to Europe and young people are radicalised and recruited in order to have foreign fighters," she added.
 
The Syrian groups that will be trained by the Norwegian soldiers were not identified, but according to Defence Minister Ine Eriksen SoreidIne Eriksen, they were chosen following a "thorough and systematic" selection process.
 
"One condition for our support is that their operations be directed against IS and that they do not harm any of the current peace efforts in Syria," Soreide said.
 
Norway is already involved in the anti-Isis coalition, in particular by training Kurdish peshmerga fighters in the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

More

Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.

Please log in to leave a comment.

See Also