Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said the Defense Department is monitoring developments in northern Syria, where news reports have emerged that al Qaeda affiliated fighters have driven rebels with the Western-aligned Syrian Revolutionary Front from the province of Idlib over the weekend. However, Kirby said he did not have any operational reporting to confirm al Qaeda-aligned rebels had gained US-made equipment in northern Syria, although he noted the territory has swapped hands between the groups several times during the conflict. “I don’t believe we view current events as a major setback,” Kirby said, adding the tensions between the rebel groups is one of the reasons the Pentagon wants to get its train and equip program up and running. The curriculum and training sites are being prepared and instructors are lined up, but the vetting process of potential fighters is still being codified, Kirby said. Though the initial US and coalition strikes against ISIS and its allies in Syria struck targets in Western Syria, most have since focused on areas to the east and around the border town of Kobani. (Kirby transcript.)
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
