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US Authorizes Financial Support For the Free Syrian Army

The US government granted the Syrian Support Group, an organization that supports the Free Syrian Army, authority to provide financial and logistical support to the armed Syrian resistance. Al-Monitor's Laura Rozen talks to the group's Washington agent about using the assistance for weapons, equipment and even salaries. 

Free Syrian Army soldiers flash v-signs and raise their rifles in Azaz, north Syria July 25, 2012. REUTERS/Umit Bektas (SYRIA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY CIVIL UNREST)
Free Syrian Army soldiers flash v-signs and raise their rifles in Azaz, north Syria July 25, 2012. — REUTERS/Umit Bektas

A US group that supports the Free Syrian Army has received a waiver from the US Treasury Department authorizing it to provide logistical and financial support to the armed Syrian resistance.

The waiver was received from the Treasury Department Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) last week, Brian Sayers, of the Syrian Support Group, told Al- Monitor in an interview Friday.

“The OFAC decision is huge,” Sayers said. “It gets us the leeway to support the Free Syrian Army in broad terms.”

The Syrian Support Group hired Sayers, who previously spent six years working in NATO operations in Brussels and Kosovo, four months ago to be the Washington agent for the group.

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