The Obama administration did not deny claims Thursday that the CIA has taken on a greater role in responding to the Syrian uprising, following an article that said a handful of agents in Turkey are helping allies determine which opposition fighters should and should not receive arms. 

Administration officials were adamant that the United States, as has been its policy all along, is not providing "lethal assistance" to the opposition. 

But they did not respond directly to claims in The New York Times that CIA officers in Turkey are helping broker weapons transfers into Syria -- to ensure arms do not fall into the wrong hands, like militants affiliated with Al Qaeda. 

The Times reported that CIA agents have been in Turkey for several weeks, helping screen potential arms recipients while also establishing new contacts in Syria. 

One source familiar with the situation on the ground told Fox News that Turkish authorities reached out to the CIA for assistance, as part of an effort to expand its existing intelligence network in Syria.