Fighters attended 30-day training program in Turkey run by US and Gulf states, according to captured fighters

A group of terrorists recently captured in Aleppo have confessed to receiving military training in Turkey from US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari personnel‫.

In an interview broadcast by Syrian state television on Sunday, Ahmad Mastari confessed to fighting with a terrorist group for four months before attending a 45-day training course in Salqin, Idleb, later travelling to Turkey to receive military training from US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari instructors for 30 days before returning to Aleppo‫.

“I was among the force that attacked Jam’yat al-Zahraa in Aleppo, we were about 250 persons, but the operation failed and we were arrested by the army”, Mastari said‫.

The fighter added: “I had fought in al-Qarmid camp, Wadi al-Daif in Idleb, Kifr Nabouda in Hama and later we went to Saladin neighborhood in Aleppo where we were shelling the area, then putting the dead bodies inside the buildings"‫.

Another captured terrorist, Zakaraya al-Zait, said planning for the latest attack on Aleppo began three weeks ago, adding that his 60-member group infiltrated some buildings, but the army besieged the area and caught all those who were still alive‫.

Detainee Mohammad Aqel Akk confirmed Mastari’s story, claiming US, Saudi Arabian and Qatari personnel trained fighters over 45 days in Salqin, later travelling to complete their training in Turkey where trainees were given USD $200‫.

"We then returned to Aleppo and commenced a huge attack on army posts in Aleppo, but our operation was a failure and we were caught”, he added.

Terrorist Qasem Abdullah said he spent five months training in Turkey, receiving SYP 15,000 per month.

Hassan Hassani confessed said his 60-member group attempted to attack al-Zahraa neighborhood in Aleppo, but failed and was caught‫.

Another captured fighter said around 600 gunmen from different militant groups were involved in the attack on al-Zahraa.