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                 Syria Criticizes US 'Dual Policy' on Militants

   by VOA News

   Syria's foreign minister has accused the United States of having a
   "dual policy" on anti-government militants in his country by fighting
   some and supporting others.

   Addressing the U.N. General Assembly, Walid al-Moualem said his
   government stands with the international effort to combat the Islamic
   State group.

   But referring to anti-government groups seen as moderate by Washington,
   he said backing them creates what he called "fertile ground" for the
   continued growth of extremism in the region.

   Now in its fourth year of a deadly civil war, Syria is one of two
   fronts where a U.S.-led coalition is bombing extremist militants in an
   effort to push them back.

   Kurdish local militias in northern Syria continued to clash with
   Islamic State forces on Monday, defending the town of Kobane, also
   known as Ain al-Arab, near the Turkish border.

   The fighting has created an exodus of Syrian Kurds into Turkey, which
   has strengthened its military presence on the border.

   The U.S. Central Command said Sunday and Monday's strikes in Syria hit
   targets near Aleppo, near Raqqa, near Manbij and in Deir el Zour. The
   strikes hit Islamic State vehicles, an anti-aircraft artillery
   transport, two compounds, a training camp and a grain storage facility.
   The United Arab Emirates and Jordan participated in the latest round of
   coalition attacks.

   In Iraq, the U.S. military said three airstrikes hit IS vehicles near
   Kirkuk, Sinjar and elsewhere in the country's northwest.

   U.S. President Barack Obama says the United States "underestimated" the
   rise of Islamic State and other Syrian-based militants, and
   "overestimated" Iraq's ability to fight them.

   Obama told CBS television's 60 Minutes Sunday it is a myth that if the
   United States had armed the moderate Syrian rebels two years ago, as
   some in Washington urged, Syria would be fine today.

   The president blamed the situation in Iraq, in part, on former prime
   minister Nouri al-Maliki. Obama said the prime minister squandered an
   opportunity to unify the country and showed more interest in
   consolidating Shi'ite support than forming a unity government with the
   Sunnis and Kurds.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-criticizes-us-dual-policy-milit
   ants/2466478.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/syria-criticizes-us-dual-policy-militants/2466478.html