U.S.-Backed Rebel Group Criticizes Syria Strikes

A Syrian rebel group that has reportedly received weapons from the United States criticized air strikes Tuesday by a U.S.-led coalition against jihadists in the war-torn country.

The Hazm Movement, in a statement posted on their Twitter account, said the strikes would undermine the armed opposition and benefit President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

They described the strikes as "an attack on national sovereignty that undermines the Syrian revolution".

"The sole beneficiary of this foreign interference in Syria is the Assad regime, especially in the absence of any real strategy to topple him," the group said.

The statement came after a U.S.-led coalition assembled to fight jihadists carried out air strikes and attacks against positions in Syria of the Islamic State group (IS) and Al-Qaeda.

They were the first attacks by the coalition on Syrian territory, and hit positions in northern and eastern Syria, killing at least 120 militants, and eight civilians, according to a monitor.

The Hazm Movement is among a small number of rebel groups reported to have received U.S. weapons earlier this year, and was among those cited by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last week as likely to receive U.S. arms and training in coming months.

In April, rebel officials told AFP the group had received 20 TOW anti-tank missiles from a "Western source".

And last week, Kerry described it as one of several groups that could receive U.S. weapons and training under a new plan to arm rebels to fight against the IS jihadists.

Syria's opposition National Coalition, a key political grouping, welcomed the U.S.-led strikes on Tuesday, but also urged the international community to keep up pressure on Assad.

More than 180,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of the conflict in March 2001.