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| Syria conflict: Bashar Assad vows to retake whole country | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said that he intends to retake "the whole country" from rebel forces. | |
| In a rare interview, he told AFP news agency that defeating the groups ranged against him could take some time due to the involvement of regional powers. | |
| World powers have agreed to push for a cessation of hostilities in a week's time. | |
| The UN says it hopes to start delivering aid to some besieged areas in Syria within the next 24 hours. | |
| Mr Assad expressed support for peace talks but said negotiations did not mean "we stop fighting terrorism". | |
| More than 250,000 people have been killed and some 11 million displaced in almost five years of fighting in Syria. | More than 250,000 people have been killed and some 11 million displaced in almost five years of fighting in Syria. |
| Some Syrian cities have been cut off from humanitarian aid for over a year because of fighting. About 13.5 million people are in need of aid, the UN says. | Some Syrian cities have been cut off from humanitarian aid for over a year because of fighting. About 13.5 million people are in need of aid, the UN says. |
| Mr Assad was speaking in Damascus on Thursday, ahead of the deal on the cessation of hostilities that was agreed in Munich late on Thursday night. | |
| He said government forces would try to retake all of Syria "without any hesitation", but that the involvement of regional powers meant that "the solution will take a long time and will incur a heavy price". | He said government forces would try to retake all of Syria "without any hesitation", but that the involvement of regional powers meant that "the solution will take a long time and will incur a heavy price". |
| Mr Assad rejected recent accusations by the UN that his government was guilty of war crimes. | Mr Assad rejected recent accusations by the UN that his government was guilty of war crimes. |
| Earlier this month, UN human rights investigators said the Syrian government had carried out a state policy of extermination against thousands of detainees. | Earlier this month, UN human rights investigators said the Syrian government had carried out a state policy of extermination against thousands of detainees. |
| In a report for the UN Human Rights Council, they accused the Syrian government of crimes against humanity. The report also said government and rebel forces had committed possible war crimes. | In a report for the UN Human Rights Council, they accused the Syrian government of crimes against humanity. The report also said government and rebel forces had committed possible war crimes. |
| But Mr Assad called the accusations "politicised" and said the investigators had provided no evidence. | But Mr Assad called the accusations "politicised" and said the investigators had provided no evidence. |
| Tentative peace talks were held in Geneva earlier this month and have been "paused" until 25 February. | |
| Mr Assad said he "fully believed in negotiations and in political action since the beginning of the crisis." | |
| "However, if we negotiate, it does not mean that we stop fighting terrorism. The two tracks are inevitable in Syria," he said. | |
| He also told AFP he believed there was a risk that Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which both back Syrian rebel forces, would intervene militarily in Syria. | |
| Meanwhile, a new UN task force to co-ordinate the distribution of aid is expected to convene in Geneva later on Friday. | Meanwhile, a new UN task force to co-ordinate the distribution of aid is expected to convene in Geneva later on Friday. |
| "The UN system has been geared to deliver this aid all along, especially to besieged areas, and that's precisely what's going to be discussed today: how to start, and when to start," UN spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said. | "The UN system has been geared to deliver this aid all along, especially to besieged areas, and that's precisely what's going to be discussed today: how to start, and when to start," UN spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said. |
| "We hope to start as early as tomorrow, immediately after the meeting, decisions will be taken to roll the aid in, especially to besieged areas that need it", he added. | "We hope to start as early as tomorrow, immediately after the meeting, decisions will be taken to roll the aid in, especially to besieged areas that need it", he added. |
| Syria conflict - key questions | |
| Why is there a war in Syria? | |
| Anti-government protests developed into a civil war that, four years on, has ground to a stalemate, with the Assad government, Islamic State, an array of Syrian rebels and Kurdish fighters all holding territory. | |
| Who is fighting whom? | |
| Government forces concentrated in Damascus and the centre and west of Syria are fighting the jihadists of Islamic State and al-Nusra Front, as well as less numerous so-called "moderate" rebel groups, who are strongest in the north and east. These groups are also battling each other. | |
| How has the world reacted? | |
| Iran, Russia and Lebanon's Hezbollah movement are propping up the Alawite-led Assad government, while Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar back the more moderate Sunni-dominated opposition, along with the US, UK and France. Hezbollah and Iran are believed to have troops and officers on the ground, while a Western-led coalition and Russia are carrying out air strikes. |