Story highlights Obama administration wants to train moderate Syrian rebels

Training was authorized by the White House more than a year ago

(CNN) The U.S. military will deploy 400 trainers and hundreds more troops in a train-and-equip mission for Syrian rebel forces, the Pentagon said Friday.

The American troops will be deployed starting in early spring on six- to eight-week missions in three countries -- Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia -- as part of the Obama administration's plan to expand training for moderate Syrian rebels.

Those groups are battling forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and extremist groups such as ISIS , as well as others linked to al Qaeda.

The mission would be led by the military and complement a modest CIA training program, based on what was authorized by the White House more than a year ago.

"Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar have agreed to host training sites, and we anticipate the program to train and equip the moderate Syrian opposition will take approximately 400 U.S. trainers, with the caveat that this number could fluctuate based on course load, course requirements and other variables," said Cmdr. Elissa Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman. "We also anticipate that the trainers will have enablers. We expect to begin training in early spring."

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