Turkish, Qatari, Saudi, British, US, French, Jordanian Intelligence Directors Meet on Syria

Top intelligence officials of the US, Britain, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan convened in a secret meeting in Ankara last month to discuss a rebel attack in reprisal for the Syrian army’s recent victory in Al-Qusseir, a liaison officer coordinating the meeting disclosed this week.
“Top intelligence officials of the US, Britain, France, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Jordan convened in an urgent meeting at the British ambassador’s residence in Ankara on June 7 to discuss an immediate rebel attack on the Syrian government and army positions in reprisal for the Syrian army’s recent victory in Al-Qusseir,” a liaison officer coordinating the meeting told FNA.

The source, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of his information and for fear of his life, said, “All the aforesaid countries sent their regional directors to the meeting, except for Jordan which was represented at a lower level.”

He mentioned that the urgent meeting was called to assess the psychological impacts of the Syrian army’s victory in Al-Qusseir on rebel groups and work out a morale-boost response to Damascus.

“Given the defeat and withdrawal of the rebel groups from Al-Qusseir, the meeting studied possible geopolitical replacements for delivering arms shipments to the rebels,” the source added and continued, “Also participants discussed the focal points and methods that need to be dealt with by the western and Arab media to boost the morale of the rebels.”

The source said participants also “decided to increase financial aids to the rebels through Saudi Arabia and Qatar”.

“They also discussed several plans to retaliate the rebels’ crushing defeat in Al-Qusseir,” he concluded.

On June 5, Syrian forces regained full control over the strategic city of Al-Qusseir following three weeks of fighting with the militants in the region.

The Syrian military forces dismantled militants’ network in the strategic area, which borders Lebanon.

Many of the foreign-backed militants and members of the armed groups were killed or injured during the Syrian army’s pursuing mop-up operations in the region.