Assad: The United Kingdom and US are prolonging Syria's civil warfare

The UK and the US are responsible for prolonging the civil war in Syria, Bashar al Assad has claimed.

Syria's president also accused the UK of being behind the chemical attack on Douma in April and says its actions are giving support to Islamic State.

The attack on the town, which killed 42 people, resulted in airstrikes on Syria led by the US.

Image: Mr Assad says 'external interference' is complicating Syria's civil war

The White Helmets, a voluntary organisation and rebels from Jaish al Islam, a coalition of Islamist fighters, claimed the Syrian military dropped bombs containing chlorine from helicopters.

Images were beamed around the world of children choking and being hosed down with water.

But Mr Assad says the incident was fake news staged by the UK, France and the US to justify the airstrikes that followed.

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Video: Babies caught up in 'chemical attack'

In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, he said: "The UK publicly supported the White Helmets that are a branch of al Qaeda.

"We consider the White Helmets to be a PR stunt by the UK. So yes, definitely it was staged by these three countries together and the UK is involved.

"It was a lie. After we liberated that area our information confirmed the attack did not take place.

"The British government should prove with evidence that the attack happened and then they should prove who is responsible. This did not happen."

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Video: April: US navy launches missiles at Syria

Mr Assad blamed the continuation of the seven-year conflict on the UK and the US - and said Western powers should get out of Syria.

For the first time in six years, his forces are in complete control of the Syrian capital. Rebel fighters and IS militants have been driven out.

He said: "I have always said that in less than a year we can solve this conflict, it's not complicated.

"What has made it complicated is the external interference. The more we advance, the more support terrorists have from the West.

Image: Distressing footage following the chemical attack caused global outrage

"So we think the more advances we make politically and militarily, the more that the West, especially the US, UK and France, will try to prolong it and make the solution farther from the Syrians.

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"We are fighting the terrorists and those terrorists are supported by the British government, the French government, the American government and their puppets

"For the US, the UK and France, their presence in Syria is illegal. It is an invasion, they are breaching the sovereignty of Syria."

Original Article

World

September 24, 2018