Assad: Strikes on IS ineffective

In an interview with Paris Match, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accused Turkey of continuing to provide direct support to the "Islamic State", a group that, along with nonaligned rebel factions, has fought to topple his government. Assad gave the rare interview on November 28 in Damascus, his first in months. His comments were critical of Turkey, which denies the accusations, and the US-led airstrikes appear intended to give the impression that his forces remain the most effective in fighting the IS.

"You can't end terrorism with aerial strikes," the magazine quoted Assad as saying in comments released Wednesday. "Troops on the ground that know the land and can react are essential."

IS has gained significant territory as part of a quest to establish a caliphate in northern Iraq and Syria. It is believed that thousands of foreign fighters have flooded the two countries to join the group.

Likely without knowledge of Assad's comments, US Secretary of State John Kerry contradicted Syria's president, although he, too, acknowledged there was much work to be done. Kerry was speaking at the beginning of a meeting of foreign officials in Brussels seeking to bring down the IS insurgency.

The coalition has 62 partners - including European, Arab, North American and Asian nations - which have flown more than 1,000 missions since early August. Germany has sent weaponry and supplies to Iraqi and Kurdish fighters, but has not itself joined the combat operations.

"We recognize the hard work that remains to be done," Kerry said Wednesday at the NATO headquarters. "Our commitment will be measured most likely in years, but our efforts are already having a significant impact."

'Death, or life'

There were scattered reports early Wednesday that Iran had independently carried out airstrikes against IS, but the country has denied that. Iran backs Assad, whose regime recently carried out a set of strikes on the IS stronghold of Raqqa that reportedly killed more civilians than combatants.

Syria's president said that the US strikes "would of course have helped had they been serious and efficient." Assad's forces and the United States have not coordinated with one another in bombing IS in Syria, officials from both factions claim.

"We are running the ground battles against Daesh, and we have noticed no change, especially with Turkey providing direct support to these regions," Assad said, using an Arabic acronym for the group.

Assad says Syria's opposition consists of "terrorists," rather than the moderates calling for freedom. He says he can steer the country through the war, which has killed more than 200,000 people since a harsh government crackdown on peaceful opposition protests beginning in March 2011.

"The captain doesn't think about death, or life," Assad said. "He thinks about saving his ship."

As the war continues and civilians find themselves caught between IS and Assad's government, rights experts fear another tragic winter in Syria.

mkg/lw (Reuters, AFP, dpa, AP)