US Senate passes bill to arm rebels in Syria

The US Senate on September 18 easily passed a controversial bill submitted by President Barack Obama, which allows training and arming of moderate rebels in Syria in the fight against Islamic State (IS) militants.

With a vote of 78 in favor and 22 against, the US Senate passed the bill one day after the House of Representatives approved it.

Moderate Syrian rebels will be equipped and trained by the Americans. (Photo: huffingtonpost.com)

The bill now awaits President Obama's signature.

A day earlier, also according to Reuters, the US House of Representatives approved President Barack Obama's plan to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels.

By a vote of 273-156, the House passed the plan, seen as a test of support for Mr Obama's campaign to "degrade and destroy" IS fighters.

On the same day, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said President Obama would consider the proposal to "deploy" US military advisers to Iraqi soldiers "on a case-by-case basis" if they were needed. Mr. Earnest affirmed that these advisers would not be directly involved in the fight against IS./.

According to VNA