News - Middle East: A British report has unveiled the behind-the-scenes actions taken by the United Kingdom since 2011 to support armed groups in Syria in their bid to overthrow former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. This effort was carried out in collaboration with the United States, as well as Arab and Islamic regimes.

The Declassified UK report details the decade of turmoil that engulfed Damascus and the region following international intervention. It highlights how the US and the UK militarily and financially supported groups referred to as the "Syrian opposition," with assistance from countries like Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

One major beneficiary of the secret campaign was Jabhat Al-Nusra, the Al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria founded by Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who later rebranded his militant force as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

Financial and Military Support

Financially, the report states that the US is reported to have spent at least $1bn in backing the Syrian opposition forces after 2011, with billions more coming from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

By late 2011, arms and hundreds of fighters from Libya were being sent to Turkey, reportedly by NATO forces, for use in Syria by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a group opposed to Assad which was formed in August 2011 by army deserters.

The report also describes how Britain trained armed groups at the time in military bases set up in Jordan. During this period, British and American intelligence agencies supervised the training, guidance, and coordination efforts.

In 2015, Britain sent 85 soldiers to Turkey and Jordan to train these armed groups. The objective was to train 5,000 fighters annually over the next three years.

The UK provided personnel to operations rooms in Turkey and Jordan to assist in managing the program, which supplied weapons like anti-tank missiles and shells to various newly-formed training groups.

Prolonging the War

The report acknowledges that the years of training and support "prolonged the war," exacerbating the suffering of the Syrian people and creating a massive refugee crisis.

Western nations, through their media apparatus, focused on holding the former Syrian regime responsible for the worsening security, political, and economic conditions.

Consequences and Questions

The report argues that the UK's policy in Syria, which involved supporting what it termed the opposition—including armed groups—fueled chaos and extended the conflict. 

It raises the question: "Who will UK officials work with now to promote their goals? It is more than possible that the UK establishment’s desire to achieve a pro-Western government in Syria at all costs, could continue to have major consequences for the people of Syria."