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The West doesn't really want to destroy ISIS, Syrian president Assad claims Syrian president Assad claims the West doesn't 'completely' want to get rid of Isis
(about 2 hours later)
The coalition of countries fighting Isis is not “serious” about destroying Islamic State, Syrian president Bashar Al Assad has said.The coalition of countries fighting Isis is not “serious” about destroying Islamic State, Syrian president Bashar Al Assad has said.
In an interview with Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazet Mr Assad said Britain, France and the US “don’t want to get rid of Isis completely”.In an interview with Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazet Mr Assad said Britain, France and the US “don’t want to get rid of Isis completely”.
Isis, an Islamist militant group, makes up a significant part of opposition forces fighting the Syrian regime, which the West also views unfavourably.Isis, an Islamist militant group, makes up a significant part of opposition forces fighting the Syrian regime, which the West also views unfavourably.
“The Syrian Air Force, which is very small in comparison to this coalition, conducts in a single day many times the number of the airstrikes conducted by a coalition which includes 60 countries,” Mr Assad said, according to a translation by the Kremlin-owned Russia Today.“The Syrian Air Force, which is very small in comparison to this coalition, conducts in a single day many times the number of the airstrikes conducted by a coalition which includes 60 countries,” Mr Assad said, according to a translation by the Kremlin-owned Russia Today.
“This doesn’t make sense. This shows the lack of seriousness; they don’t want to get rid of ISIS completely.“This doesn’t make sense. This shows the lack of seriousness; they don’t want to get rid of ISIS completely.
“There is no serious effort to fight terrorism, and what is being achieved by the Syrian forces on the ground equals in one day what is being achieved by these states in weeks.“There is no serious effort to fight terrorism, and what is being achieved by the Syrian forces on the ground equals in one day what is being achieved by these states in weeks.
“An anti-terrorist coalition cannot consist of countries which are themselves supporters of terrorism.”“An anti-terrorist coalition cannot consist of countries which are themselves supporters of terrorism.”
Mr Assad accused the West of wanting to turn Syria into “puppets”.Mr Assad accused the West of wanting to turn Syria into “puppets”.
The UK government proposed taking military action in Syria against Mr Assad’s regime but the proposal was halted by rebels in Parliament.The UK government proposed taking military action in Syria against Mr Assad’s regime but the proposal was halted by rebels in Parliament.
Isis, also known as Islamic State, controls a large part of the Levant region. It says it wants to establish an Islamic state or ‘caliphate’ run on its interpretation of fundamentalist Sharia law.Isis, also known as Islamic State, controls a large part of the Levant region. It says it wants to establish an Islamic state or ‘caliphate’ run on its interpretation of fundamentalist Sharia law.