Why Are U.S. Weapons Showing Up In Hands Of Pro-Assad Militias In Syria

M-16 rifles have been spotted with Shiite militias fighting in Syria.(Photo: Garrett Hubbard for USA TODAY)

U.S. Arms Showing Up In Hands Of Pro-Assad Militias -- USA Today

U.S. and Western weapons have been reaching Iranian-backed Shiite militias fighting to keep Bashar Assad's forces in power in Syria.

Analysts say it's unclear if the weapons were captured, stolen or bought on the black market in Syria, Turkey, Iraq or Libya. Propaganda photographs from Shiite militias posted on dozens of websites and Facebook pages show the weapons were acquired in new condition, said Phillip Smyth, an analyst for Jihadology.net, a site affiliated with the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Many of the weapons are things the militias "shouldn't really have their hands on," Smyth said. Iranians love to show "they have weapons and systems that are very close to the Americans."

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My Comment: I would wager that these weapons came from Iraq. The U.S. left a lot of military equipment behind when they left, and with Iraq being as corrupt as it is .... it would not surprise me if these stockpiles are now being used to support Syrian President Assad.