CIA ramps up intelligence efforts in Syria to keep pace with developments in country

Washington, July 25 (ANI): The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is beefing up intelligence efforts in Syria to keep pace with developments in the country in case the regime collapses, according to a senior intelligence official.

According to Fox News, the CIA has assigned a special task force specifically for Syria to 'working round the clock' to bring in as much intelligence as it can about current developments in the country and likely scenarios if President Bashar al-Assad's regime collapses, the official said.

The boosted efforts reflect increased concern over the future of a society that has remained closed for some time, the source said.

"Even people who 'know' Syria have a hard time figuring out what's really going on inside there," the official said, adding: "This is a very fluid situation."

In particular, the U.S. intelligence community worries about a wave of ethnic cleansing if the Assad regime falls.

"You've had a minority running the country for so long, and a lot of people will be" looking for revenge against Assad and his allies, the official said.

There are also fears that Hezbollah-tied operatives could get into Syria and access chemical weapons.Given the escalation in violence in Syria and the regime's increasing attacks on its own people, we remain very concerned about these weapons," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said.

Though the U.S. intelligence is alarmed by recent attacks in Syria bearing the marks of Al Qaeda, such as assassinations of top Assad aides and a spike in car bombs, the U.S. Government still has limited information about what's really taking place in the country. (ANI)