To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the answer by Baroness Anelay of St Johns on 20 March (HL Deb 10), whether they will cease giving political and practical support to armed insurgent groups in Syria in the interests of promoting the expulsion of Daesh from that country.
Answered on
3 April 2017
The UK supports the moderate opposition in Syria, which has repeatedly underlined its commitment to a negotiated political settlement in line with international agreements. We recognise that the brutality of the Syrian regime has been the primary driver of extremism and terrorism in Syria. In the long term, therefore, terrorism and extremism can only be sustainably defeated in Syria through a political transition.
We provide certain groups in the moderate opposition with political and practical support so that they can stand up to both the tyranny of Asad and that of Daesh. This has included communications, medical and logistics equipment and equipment to protect against chemical weapons attacks. The UK does not provide weapons to anybody in Syria. We will maintain this support, while continually and rigorously assessing all recipients to ensure that they are not involved in any extremist activity or human rights abuses.