The training of the Syrian militants who are fighting the Syrian government could take years, said retired US general John Allen, who is leading the international effort against the Takfiri group operating in Iraq and Syria.

The training of the Syrian militants who are fighting the Syrian government could take years, said retired US general John Allen, who is leading the international effort against the Takfiri group operating in Iraq and Syria.

The US has been leading an international coalition to counter ISIL. The coalition is aimed at fighting the terrorist group through supporting the so-called “moderate” armed anti-government opposition in Syria.

"It is going to take a while, it could take years, actually," Allen said in an interview with CNN. "We have to manage our expectations."

The US Congress has approved the training and equipping of “moderate” militants as part of the international plan.

 Allen said the training of Syrian insurgents was already under way.
"The process of getting that unfolded is occurring right now with the idea of locating training camps and beginning to accumulate the Syrian elements that will go into those training camps," he said.

The United States initially launched strikes in Iraq on August 8 and widened its campaign on September 23 to include Syria, where ISIL has its headquarters.
Allen said the international response has provided an “opportunity” for new partnerships.

"It's actually an important moment where so many countries from so many different backgrounds share that view, that this is an opportunity to create partnership across those lines of effort that can achieve real effect," he said.

Meanwhile, Allen noted that Iran has a role in the anti-ISIL efforts, saying that this role is “helpful”.
"We're not going to contemplate a bilateral coalition with Iran," he said, but went on to add that the Iranians "have a role to play, and where that role is helpful, we'll encourage it."