US defends no longer arming Syrian rebels

A US decision to halt a CIA program equipping and training certain rebel groups fighting the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not done as a concession to Assad ally Russia, a top US general says.

"At least from what I know about that program and the decision to end it, (it was) absolutely not a sop to the Russians," US Army General Raymond Thomas, head of the Special Operations Command, told the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado on Friday.

Earlier this week a US official said the decision was part of an effort by the Trump administration to improve relations with Russia.