US financing opponents of Syria8217;s Assad: WikiLeaks

The reports of secret funding of Assad8217;s rivals comes as human rights groups said scores of people have been killed by Assad8217;s security forces since a public uprising began on March 18. Syria has blamed the violence on 8220;armed gangs.8221;

The leaked documents,according to the Post,show that America has provided at least USD 6 million to the channel and other opposition groups inside Syria.

Besides,the US has reached out to Damascus,hoping to persuade it to change its policies regarding Israel,Lebanon,Iraq and support for extremist groups.

However,it was not clear from the WikiLeaks cables whether the US was still funding Assad8217;s rivals,though they showed funding had been set aside through September 2010,the paper said.

The US money for Syrian opposition figures began flowing under President George W Bush after he effectively froze political ties with Damascus in 2005.

The financial backing has continued under President Bareck Obama,even as his administration sought to rebuild relations with Assad. In January,the White House posted an ambassador to Damascus for the first time in six years.

The cables show that US Embassy officials in Damascus became worried in 2009 when they learned that Syrian intelligence agents were raising questions about US programmes.

Some embassy officials suggested that the State Department reconsider its involvement,arguing that it could put the Obama administration8217;s rapprochement with Damascus at risk.