As part of an effort to train at least 5,000 rebels in Syria over the course of the next year, the Department of Defense is sending 400 troops to the region. It’s not clear yet where they will be based, but several nearby countries have offered to host them. The move comes after Defense officials met with Syrian opposition leaders in Turkey to discuss their fight against ISIS militants, who have taken over large swaths of Syria and Iraq. In recent months, the U.S. has deployed 3,000 troops to train Kurdish and Iraqi military forces, who are also engaged in the conflict with ISIS. In a statement, a Pentagon spokeswoman said, “These introductory meetings were an important step as we prepare to launch the train-and-equip program later this spring with our international partners” …
