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Trump says al-Qaeda received US weapons intended for Syrian rebels

In a July 25 interview made public Tuesday, the president said he canceled a CIA program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels after weapons ended up in the hands of Al-Qaeda.
Protesters carry Al-Qaeda flags during an anti-government protest after Friday prayers in the town of Marat Numan in Idlib province, Syria, March 11, 2016. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi - RTSAD3X
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The White House decided to cancel a covert program to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels after weapons ended up in the hands of Al-Qaeda fighters, President Donald Trump said in an interview transcript released today.

The CIA program was begun by intelligence officials during the Barack Obama administration in an effort to push Bashar al-Assad to the negotiating table. The Washington Post first reported its termination last month.

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