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| Syria's Assad says military 'needs time to win battle' | Syria's Assad says military 'needs time to win battle' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the government needs more time to "win the battle" against rebel forces. | Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the government needs more time to "win the battle" against rebel forces. |
| In an interview with pro-government al-Dunya TV, Mr Assad also dismissed as "unrealistic" the idea of creating humanitarian buffer zones within Syria. | In an interview with pro-government al-Dunya TV, Mr Assad also dismissed as "unrealistic" the idea of creating humanitarian buffer zones within Syria. |
| Opposition activists say the army has launched offensives across the country to regain control of rebel-held areas. | Opposition activists say the army has launched offensives across the country to regain control of rebel-held areas. |
| Heavy shelling has been reported in the capital, Damascus, Aleppo, and the north-western province of Idlib. | Heavy shelling has been reported in the capital, Damascus, Aleppo, and the north-western province of Idlib. |
| Officials told state media on Wednesday that soldiers had repelled a "terrorist attack" on the military air base in the northern town of Taftanaz, inflicting heavy losses. | Officials told state media on Wednesday that soldiers had repelled a "terrorist attack" on the military air base in the northern town of Taftanaz, inflicting heavy losses. |
| The reports came after rebel fighters claimed they had destroyed several military helicopters using two captured tanks. | |
| The claims could not be independently verified, but a video posted online by local activists purported to show the destroyed helicopters. Smoke could be seen rising from the airfield. | The claims could not be independently verified, but a video posted online by local activists purported to show the destroyed helicopters. Smoke could be seen rising from the airfield. |
| President Assad's intervention comes as the war escalates in Syria. He wants to both reassure his constituency that, "despite several mistakes", the government's military strategy is working, and to prepare it for a long struggle. | President Assad's intervention comes as the war escalates in Syria. He wants to both reassure his constituency that, "despite several mistakes", the government's military strategy is working, and to prepare it for a long struggle. |
| He says the task is difficult because the army is facing a "global and regional" battle, reflecting the government's view that it is the victim of a foreign conspiracy aimed at weakening Syria's resistance to Israel and the West. | He says the task is difficult because the army is facing a "global and regional" battle, reflecting the government's view that it is the victim of a foreign conspiracy aimed at weakening Syria's resistance to Israel and the West. |
| And his tone echoes earlier comments of winning the war "at any price", again a sign that the government is digging in its heels for a military victory. His aim is also to dispel any idea of weakness: he emphasises that he's in the presidential palace, and not in hiding following a bomb blast that killed members of his inner circle last month. He shrugs off recent high-level defections as the "self-cleansing" of weak regime elements. | And his tone echoes earlier comments of winning the war "at any price", again a sign that the government is digging in its heels for a military victory. His aim is also to dispel any idea of weakness: he emphasises that he's in the presidential palace, and not in hiding following a bomb blast that killed members of his inner circle last month. He shrugs off recent high-level defections as the "self-cleansing" of weak regime elements. |
| And his comment that a Western-imposed buffer zone in Syria is "unrealistic" is probably true, given international reluctance to intervene militarily. | And his comment that a Western-imposed buffer zone in Syria is "unrealistic" is probably true, given international reluctance to intervene militarily. |
| Opposition activists also said that at least 11 people had been killed in fighting in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. | Opposition activists also said that at least 11 people had been killed in fighting in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. |
| State media said "terrorist mercenaries" had killed four civilians in the Zamalka district. | State media said "terrorist mercenaries" had killed four civilians in the Zamalka district. |
| Security forces 'heroic' | Security forces 'heroic' |
| In excerpts of his interview with al-Dunya, which will be broadcast in full on Wednesday evening, Mr Assad said the Syrian government was "fighting a battle both regionally and internationally". | In excerpts of his interview with al-Dunya, which will be broadcast in full on Wednesday evening, Mr Assad said the Syrian government was "fighting a battle both regionally and internationally". |
| "It definitely needs time to bring it to a decisive end. But I can sum it up in one sentence: we're heading forward," he told al-Dunya. "The situation on the ground is better now, but the conclusion is not there yet. That needs some time." | "It definitely needs time to bring it to a decisive end. But I can sum it up in one sentence: we're heading forward," he told al-Dunya. "The situation on the ground is better now, but the conclusion is not there yet. That needs some time." |
| The security forces were "doing a heroic job in every sense", he added. | The security forces were "doing a heroic job in every sense", he added. |
| "Everyone is worried about their country - that is normal. But [the rebels] will not be able to spread fear, they never will," he said. "I say to Syrians: destiny is in your hands, and not in the hands of others." | "Everyone is worried about their country - that is normal. But [the rebels] will not be able to spread fear, they never will," he said. "I say to Syrians: destiny is in your hands, and not in the hands of others." |
| The president mocked senior government and military officials who have defected in recent months, saying their departure amounted to a "self-cleansing of the government firstly, and the country generally". | The president mocked senior government and military officials who have defected in recent months, saying their departure amounted to a "self-cleansing of the government firstly, and the country generally". |
| Responding to rumours about his whereabouts since a July bombing in Damascus killed four senior officials, he revealed that he was being interviewed from the presidential palace in the capital. | Responding to rumours about his whereabouts since a July bombing in Damascus killed four senior officials, he revealed that he was being interviewed from the presidential palace in the capital. |
| 'Safe zone' | 'Safe zone' |
| Mr Assad also addressed the proposal by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to set up a United Nations-sanctioned "safe zone" inside Syria to shelter refugees and help distribute humanitarian aid. | Mr Assad also addressed the proposal by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to set up a United Nations-sanctioned "safe zone" inside Syria to shelter refugees and help distribute humanitarian aid. |
| "Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table and secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria," he said. | "Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table and secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria," he said. |
| "Do we go back because of the ignorance of some Turkish officials or do we focus on our relationship with the Turkish people, especially those people who have stood by us during the crisis and were not swayed by the media and material propaganda?" | "Do we go back because of the ignorance of some Turkish officials or do we focus on our relationship with the Turkish people, especially those people who have stood by us during the crisis and were not swayed by the media and material propaganda?" |
| French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius admitted on Wednesday that creating a buffer zone would be impossible without imposing a no-fly zone deploying ground forces. | French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius admitted on Wednesday that creating a buffer zone would be impossible without imposing a no-fly zone deploying ground forces. |
| "We are thinking about this. It is very complicated. We cannot do it without the agreement of the Turks and other countries," he told France Inter radio. | "We are thinking about this. It is very complicated. We cannot do it without the agreement of the Turks and other countries," he told France Inter radio. |
| "But what we want is for things to move forward, to make Bashar fall as quickly as possible and at the same time find humanitarian solutions." | "But what we want is for things to move forward, to make Bashar fall as quickly as possible and at the same time find humanitarian solutions." |
| The UN refugee agency warned on Tuesday that as many as 200,000 refugees could flee to Turkey to escape fighting in Syria - almost double the number Turkey has said it can take. | The UN refugee agency warned on Tuesday that as many as 200,000 refugees could flee to Turkey to escape fighting in Syria - almost double the number Turkey has said it can take. |
| The UNHCR said 5,000 refugees were now arriving at the Turkish border every day, compared to about 500 earlier this month. There are already more than 74,000 in Turkey, and 128,000 in other countries. | The UNHCR said 5,000 refugees were now arriving at the Turkish border every day, compared to about 500 earlier this month. There are already more than 74,000 in Turkey, and 128,000 in other countries. |
| There are also thought to be more than 1.2 million internally displaced people in Syria, and 2.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. | There are also thought to be more than 1.2 million internally displaced people in Syria, and 2.5 million in need of humanitarian assistance. |