ANKARA, (SANA) – Philip Giraldi, former intelligence officer of the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), said that about 50 high-ranking intelligence agents among them Americans, French, German and British officers are on the Syrian-Turkish borders.

Turkish Newspaper of Hurriyet quoted Giraldi as saying that there are 15 to 20 U.S. agents in the Turkish border territories to work on the Syrian file.

"There would be paramilitary agents, they would be based at the Consulate in Adana or the Incirlik Air Base," Giraldi said, adding that the agents would not cross into Syria but would direct intelligence operations from within Turkey in collaboration with Turkey's National Intelligence Agency (MIT).

He added that there would be numerous spies working under the high-ranking spies and 'many' informants working under them.

Giraldi stressed that the Turkish and American intelligence agencies are working very closely on the Syrian issue, adding that the U.S. provided Turkey with photographs including satellite pictures and sensitive technical information it normally would not share with anyone.

Giraldi was the head of the CIA team in Istanbul between 1986 and 1989 during his intelligence career of 18 years.

M. Nassr/ M. Eyon