Claim: Afghan mujaheeden now fighting for U.S.-supported Syrian opposition

Posted on August 2, 2012 at 5:10 PM EST

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By Aaron Klein

At lease 500 hardcore mujaheedeen from Afghanistan have been killed in clashes with Syrian forces this week, claimed a senior Syrian official speaking to KleinOnline.

The official said many of the mujaheeden now fighting in Syria previously were fighting the U.S. in Afghanistan prior to the American withdrawal from that country.

The claim comes as Reuters reported today President Obama signed a secret order authorizing U.S. support for rebels fighting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his government, quoting U.S. sources familiar with the matter.

According to the report, Obama’s order was approved earlier this year and gives the CIA and other U.S. agencies authority to provide broad support that could help the rebels oust Assad.

The White House continues to deny directly arming the rebels, stating it is only providing non-lethal aid. Any U.S. aid to the rebels is highly controversial.

The Syrian official, speaking to KleinOnline today, claimed the Afghan mujaheeden died fighting Syrian troops in Aleppo.

Additionally, KleinOnline has learned that Jihadiya Salafia in the Gaza Strip, a group which represents al-Qaida in the coastal territory, earlier this week declared three days of mourning for its own jihadists who died in Syria in recent days.

There are now widespread reports of al-Qaida fighters among the ranks of the opposition, with some jihadist branches reportedly officially joining the U.S.-supported Free Syrian Army.

Amid the fighting in Aleppo, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan announced he quitting as international peace envoy for Syria, stating he is frustrated by “finger-pointing” at the United Nations while the armed rebellion against Assad becomes increasingly bloody.

KleinOnline reported that Assad held a meeting last week in which he set the goal of entirely quelling the opposition targeting his regime by October, according to a senior Syrian official.

The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Assad ordered his military to rid the Damascus region, including Aleppo, of rebels by the end of Ramadan on Aug. 18.

He said Assad believes he can clear the opposition from the region of Homs by Sept. 10 and end the insurgency by October.

The official admitted the coming weeks will be “bloody.” He affirmed Russia stands squarely in the Syrian camp.

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