The Theft of CIA-Sent Weapons for Syrian Rebels in Jordan

An investigative report by The New York Times and Al Jazeera has revealed that weapons sent by the CIA and Saudi Arabia for Syrian rebels have been stolen in Jordan and sold on the black market. According to the New York Times, citing American and Jordanian officials, the firearms sent by the CIA for Syrian rebels were stolen by agents of Jordan's intelligence service and sold to arms dealers on the black market. The report also indicates that some of these weapons were used in a deadly shooting at a police training base near Amman. A spokesperson for the Jordanian government announced on November 9 of last year that a Jordanian military officer shot dead two Americans and a South African national at the camp established by Washington. The 'Muqar' camp, located in eastern Amman, is used for training Iraqi security forces and the Palestinian police in the West Bank. Jordan is also hosting hundreds of American trainers who are working to strengthen the country's defense capabilities and combat the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. According to American and Jordanian officials, official documents regarding the sent weapons indicate that they were intended for the training program of Syrian rebels in Jordan. The report states that the thefts were halted months ago following protests from the U.S. and Saudi Arabia, but by that time, the firearms had already entered the black market. Jordanian officers accused of stealing the firearms used the proceeds from their sale to purchase luxury items such as Apple smartphones and SUVs. Al Jazeera reports that the training program for Syrian rebels, codenamed 'Timber Sycamore,' began in 2013 and is managed by the CIA and some intelligence agencies from Arab countries. According to this report, Saudi Arabia has provided financial resources and weapons for the rebels, and CIA guerrilla warfare trainers have taught the rebels how to use Kalashnikov rifles, anti-tank missiles, mortars, and other weapons. It has been reported that these rebels made advancements and achieved successes on the battlefield until Russia directly intervened to support Bashar al-Assad's government. The mentioned training program is separate from the U.S. Department of Defense's training program for rebels engaged with the so-called Islamic State. The CIA has yet to respond to the published report.