Assad Vows To Retake Whole Of Syria
KABUL: (MEP) Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad has vowed to retake the whole of country and keep fighting terrorism with more bravery and courage.
He supported the peace talks in Munich on Thursday night led by the US and Russia but said that did “not mean that we stop fighting terrorism.
In an exclusive interview with AFP released Friday, Assad doused hopes of an imminent halt to hostilities that world powers are pushing to take effect within a week.
He said the eventual goal of the government is to liberate the whole country from the hands of the terrorists.
“Regardless of whether we can do that or not, this is a goal we are seeking to achieve without any hesitation,” President Assad stated. “It makes no sense for us to say that we will give up any part.”
Assad said the main aim in Aleppo province that has prompted tens of thousands of people to flee was to cut the rebels’ supply route from Turkey.
“It would be possible to “put an end to this problem in less than a year” if opposition supply routes from Turkey, Jordan and Iraq were severed.” Assad noted.
Assad said he saw a risk that Turkey and Saudi Arabia, key backers of the opposition, would intervene militarily in Syria.
The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which began in March 2011, has claimed the lives of some 470,000 people.
U.S Slammed Assad’s Declaration
The United States has condemned Bashar al-Assad’s vow in retaking back the entire country, saying the years-long conflict would not be solved by military actions.
State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said on Friday that the Syrian president does not have “any legitimacy, but others do.”
Toner said Assad is not a legitimate leader for his people and his country… “He is mistaken if he thinks there’s a military solution to the conflict in Syria.”
