Syria President: Campaign against ‘terror’ must succeed
- 9 years ago
Syria's President Bashar Assad said in an interview aired Sunday the air campaign by Russia against "terrorists" in his country must succeed or the whole region will be destroyed.
He also accused Western nations of fueling the refugee crisis.
Assad was speaking in an interview with Iran's Khabar TV, his first comments since Russia launched its air campaign against multiple groups in Syria Wednesday.
Assad blasted Western countries, accusing them of fuelling terrorism by supporting rebel groups, and ultimately the refugee crisis.
"In reality, they are the biggest contributor for reaching this stage by supporting terrorism and imposing a siege on Syria," he said, in reference to Western countries.
"They attack terrorism but they are terrorists in their policies either by imposing the siege of by supporting the terrorists."
On Sunday, the fifth day of the air campaign, Russia said its warplanes had carried out 20 missions in the past day, attacking Islamic State positions in the northwestern province of Idlib.
He also accused Western nations of fueling the refugee crisis.
Assad was speaking in an interview with Iran's Khabar TV, his first comments since Russia launched its air campaign against multiple groups in Syria Wednesday.
Assad blasted Western countries, accusing them of fuelling terrorism by supporting rebel groups, and ultimately the refugee crisis.
"In reality, they are the biggest contributor for reaching this stage by supporting terrorism and imposing a siege on Syria," he said, in reference to Western countries.
"They attack terrorism but they are terrorists in their policies either by imposing the siege of by supporting the terrorists."
On Sunday, the fifth day of the air campaign, Russia said its warplanes had carried out 20 missions in the past day, attacking Islamic State positions in the northwestern province of Idlib.