A member of the newly-trained Syrian rebel forces backed by the US military is believed to have been killed in clashes last week, marking the force’s first battlefield casualty, US officials told Reuters Monday.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the officials said the rebel was killed during fighting with alleged members of Syrian al-Qaeda affiliate Nusra Front in the northern part of the country on Friday.
The White House on Monday said it would be willing to take “additional steps” to defend US-allied fighters in Syria, warning the Assad regime not to impede their actions, Reuters reported.
