Syrian President Assad Says West Will Pay for Supporting Rebels

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad granted an interview with national television on April 17, 2013. This day represented the 67th anniversary of independence from France., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Syria's Assad says West will pay for 'supporting' Qaeda

Published: 18 Apr 2013 at 02.49
Online news: World

President Bashar al-Assad warned on Wednesday the West that it will pay a heavy price for its alleged support of Al-Qaeda in Syria and said his regime's defeat is not an option.

Assad, whose regime has been battling an uprising since March 2011, reiterated in an interview with official television Al-Ikhbariya his long-held claim that the roots of Syria's conflict lie in a foreign-backed conspiracy.

He also warned the conflict could spill over into Jordan, and that there would be no dialogue with the exiled opposition.

"The West has paid heavily for funding Al-Qaeda in its early stages in Afghanistan. Today it is doing the same in Syria, Libya and other places, and will pay a heavy price in the heart of Europe and the United States," Assad said.

Last week, the jihadist rebel group Al-Nusra Front pledged allegiance to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri, who had previously urged rebels to establish an Islamic state in Syria.

The UN says more than 70,000 people have been killed in Syria over the past two years in a conflict that broke out after the regime unleashed a brutal crackdown on a popular uprising that later morphed into an insurgency.

Speaking on the anniversary of Syria's independence day from France, Assad said that "from the first day, what is happening in Syria is dictated from abroad."

"We are facing a new war, a new method" with fighters, "some of whom are Arabs, not Syrians," the president said in the hour-long interview, adding that the "army is not fighting a war to liberate Syrian territory, but a war on terror."

"There is a bid to invade Syria with forces coming from the outside, of different nationalities, though they follow new, different tactics from those followed by those who came to colonise in the region, and from those used by the United States to occupy Iraq and Afghanistan."

"There is an attempt at cultural colonisation, meaning ideological invasion, in Syria, leading in one of two directions.

"Either Syria becomes subservient and submissive to the big powers and the West, or it becomes subservient to obscurantist, extremist forces. We need to hold on ever more strongly to the meaning of independence."

Assad did not spell out how he believed the West was supporting Al-Qaeda in Syria. The United States and EU countries have been loathe to fulfill rebel requests for arms for fear they might fall into the hands of extremists.

But he insisted that "everyone who carries weapons and attacks civilians is a terrorist, be they Al-Qaeda or not.... There are no moderate terrorists."

Assad also accused the West of "double, or what I would call triple or quadruple standards".

"The West fights (Al-Qaeda) in Mali and supports it in Syria and Libya," he said.

Assad warned that a defeat of his government would spell the demise of Syria. Vowing he will not surrender, he said the Syrian people would decide whether he should stay or go, implying he might run for elections scheduled for 2014.

"There is no option but victory. Otherwise it will be the end of Syria, and I don't think that the Syrian people will accept such an option," he said.

"The truth is there is a war and I repeat: no to surrender, no to submission."

"The position (of president) has no value without popular backing. The people's decision is what matters in the question of whether the president stays or goes," said Assad.

Meanwhile, he said, officials were laying the groundwork for a "national dialogue" but ruled out talks with exiled members of the opposition, whom he accused of treason.

"We do not enter into negotiations with people who do not have a popular base," Assad said.

"How can you be patriotic if you've fled" Syria, he added, in reference to exiled leaders of the main opposition National Coalition.

And rejecting the possibility of humanitarian intervention in Syria's conflict, Assad said such a policy "would only aim to destroy the Syrians".

Assad took to task neighbouring Jordan, which says it is hosting around 500,000 Syria refugees, accusing it of allowing rebels and arms free movement across its borders.

"I cannot believe that hundreds (of rebels) are entering Syria with their weapons while Jordan is capable of arresting any single person with a light arm for going to resist in Palestine," Assad said.

"We would wish that our Jordanian neighbours realise that... the fire will not stop at our borders."

In Amman, Information Minister Mohammad Momani said the United States plans to deploy 200 troops in Jordan because of the war in neighbouring Syria "in light of the deteriorating situation in Syria."

This would be 50 more than those already there.

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel meanwhile declined Wednesday to discuss Syria's possible use of chemical weapons against rebels, raising doubts over whether Washington still views such action as a "red line."

President Barack Obama has repeatedly warned Damascus against resorting to chemical weapons, hinting that the use of such arms or the prospect of militant groups gaining control of them could prompt a US military intervention.

Violence across Syria killed at least 124 people on Wednesday, including six children, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.


Sixty-Seven Years of Independence of Syria

Apr 18, 2013

DAMASCUS, (SANA) - Sixty-seven years have passed since Syria earned its independence after uprooting from its history a quarter of a century of French occupation, an occupation which claimed the lives of Syrian freedom fighters who dedicated themselves to the just cause of their homeland and fought occupation to the end for the sake of Syria's dignity and sovereignty.


Premier Inaugurates Pivotal Projects in Tartous on Independence Day

Apr 18, 2013

Tartous, (SANA)-Under the patronage of President Bashar al-Assad and on the 67th anniversary of the Independence Day, Prime Minister Dr. Wael al-Halqi on Wednesday inaugurated the complex of tobacco storage and manufacturing , the solid waste treatment center in Wadi al-Hida, ,Tishreen University Branch and Tourism Faculty with 1.855 billion SYP cost.

The solid waste treatment center in Wadi al-Hida had an overall cost of SYP 1.4 billion, it provides nearly 250 job opportunities with an area of 100.000 m2 while the complex of tobacco storage and manufacturing had an overall cost of SYP 455 million, stretching on an area of 1150 m2.

During a field tour, the Prime Minister inspected the HQ of the Medicine Faculty established in light of decree No 136 for 2013 at Tishreen University.

"The process of construction is continuous.. the pivotal, economic projects which were inaugurated today are proof that Syria is going on in the development process.. Syria has good economic reserve, the Syrian economy is strong and diverse.. there is not any problem for the Syrian pound," al-Halqi said.

He affirmed that the government is seeking to ensure the basic needs for all citizens and eliminate terrorism.


The Army Hunts Terrorists in Several Areas

Apr 18, 2013

PROVINCES, (SANA)- A unit of the armed forces on Wednesday targeted gatherings for terrorists in several sites in the countryside of Homs, inflicting heavy losses upon their ranks.

A military source told SANA reporter that terrorists' gatherings were targeted in al-Tibeh, Taldo, Tal Dahab, al-Rastan, al-Qseir, al-Dab'eh, Wabel, al-Buweideh al-Sharqiyeh, al-Dmeineh al-Gharbiyeh and Beit Rabi'a.

The source added that the armed forces also targeted terrorists' dens in the eastern and western orchards in Palmyra and killed and injured many terrorists.

Armed Forces Destroy Weapons and Munitions Warehouses, Eliminate Terrorists in Damascus Countryside

Armed Forces units clashed with a terrorist group near a soap factory in Jobar, Damascus Countryside, eliminating its members including Mahmoud Hussein.

A number of terrorist hideouts were destroyed in al-Sughayriya neighborhood in Adra and in its surrounding areas, in addition to killing and injuring members of a terrorist group affiliated with Jabhet al-Nusra near a detergent factory, one of which was Hamdo Abu Ali.

Armed Forces units established a tight perimeter around the town of al-Utaibeh, reducing terrorist presence in it significantly after a series of successful operations which resulted in destroying warehouses containing weapons and munitions and eliminating a number of terrorists including Mohammad al-Qalla'a.

Armed Forces Destroy Weapons Cache and Dens in Douma, Harasta al-Nabek

Units of the Armed Forces carried out a series of operations against dens of armed terrorist groups in Douma, Harasta and al-Nabek areas in Damascus countryside and destroyed weapons cache and dens, in addition to killing and inuring scores of "Jabhat al-Nusra" and "Ahrar al-Sham" terrorists.

An official source told SANA reporter that a weapons cache was destroyed in eastern Douma and several terrorists were eliminated.

The source added that a unit of the Armed Forces carried out a qualitative operation in Harasta and eliminated an armed terrorist group.

IED-manufacturing Workshop Destroyed in Idleb

Meanwhile, units of the armed forces destroyed a workshop for manufacturing explosive devices and an ammunition warehouse and killed several terrorists in a number of sites in Idleb countryside.

SANA reporter quoted a military source as saying that the armed forces targeted terrorists' gatherings in the towns of Saraqeb, al-Nairab, Maartamsarin and Sarmin, killing and injuring large numbers of the terrorists.

The source added that an army unit destroyed a workshop for manufacturing explosive devices in Sarmin, while another unit destroyed an ammunition warehouse on Filon road.

Cars Equipped with Anti-aircraft Machineguns Destroyed in Lattakia

In the same context, army units destroyed a weapons and ammunition warehouse and dens for terrorists from Jabhat al-Nusra, including their cars which are equipped with heavy anti-aircraft machineguns, in the countryside of Lattakia.

An official source told SANA reporter that six cars equipped with anti-aircraft machineguns and several terrorists, mostly non-Syrians, were killed in Rabi'ah and Eteirah, among them were terrorists Abo Yehia al-Afghani, two of his assistants and Osama and Ahmad al-Malla.

The source added that an army unit destroyed a weapons and ammunition warehouse and five cars equipped with heavy machineguns and killed many terrorists in the villages of al-Mreij, Mazraet al-Rish, Beit Owan, Khan al-Jouz and Jib al-Ahmar.

Terrorist Ayman Rahal, leader of a terrorist group, and Libyan terrorist called Abo Qaswara, were identified among the dead.

Units of the Armed Forces carried out a series of qualitative operations in Lattakia countryside.

An official source told SANA reporter that the operations resulted in killing a number of terrorists and injuring others, in addition to destroying four cars equipped with heavy machineguns.

The Armed Forces targeted terrorist gatherings in al-Koum and Salma towns in Lattakia countryside and killed scores of terrorists and wounding others.

Two cars loaded with ammunitions and three other cars loaded with DShK machineguns.

Armed Forces Target Terrorists' Dens in Aleppo

Units of the Armed Forces continued their qualitative operations against the terrorists and destroyed their vehicles and weapons in Aleppo province.

An official source told SANA reporter that the Armed Forces clashed with armed terrorist groups in Aleppo countryside and inflicted heavy losses upon them.

The source pointed out that the armed Forces eliminated scores of terrorists in Minigh, Tal Ajar, Kafar Anton areas and destroyed a pickup loaded with weapons and terrorists.

In Aleppo city, the source added that the Armed Forces targeted terrorists' dens in al-Shaar, al-Sheikh Maksoud, Masakin Hanano and the old city, noting that heavy losses were inflicted upon the terrorists.

Army Confronts Terrorists' Attempt to Attack Army Checkpoints in Idleb

Army units confronted terrorists' attempt to attack army checkpoints in Jisr al-Shughour in Idleb countryside.

A military source told SANA reporter that scores of terrorists were eliminated.

The source added that an army unit foiled a terrorist attempt to detonate an explosive device weighing about 70 kilograms on Ariha al-Mastouma road.

Units of the Armed Forces clashed with armed terrorist groups from so-called "Jabhat al-Nusra" around Wadi al-Daif and al-Hamidia areas an killed scores of terrorists.

The Armed Forces eliminated terrorist gatherings in Sarming town and killed many terrorists and injured others, in addition to destroying three DShK vehicles.

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