US Train-Equip Program in Syria Needs Changes - White House

The US Syrian train-and-equip program against the Islamic State had not performed as well as the Obama administration had hoped, and changes are needed to improve the program, White House spokesperson Josh Earnest stated in a press briefing on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Earnest made the comment in response to the testimony by US General Lloyd Austin on Wednesday, who admitted the train-and equip program has underperformed.

"I think it [Austin’s testimony] certainly raises some legitimate questions about what kinds of changes need to be made in this program and that's exactly what general Austin suggested today that he would do," Earnest said.

On Wednesday, General Austin, who heads the US Central Command (CENTCOM), said at a US Senate hearing that fewer than a half dozen of the US-trained fighters are currently engaged in combat against the Islamic State in Syria.

Austin’s testimony came after the US Department of Defense had already admitted in previous months that they had lost contact with majority of the nearly 60 fighters they had trained, and had a slow rollout in getting Syrian through the $500 million program.