Bashar al-Assad: We Are Informed of Coalition Airstrikes in Syria

The Syrian president says that the airstrikes by the US-led coalition against the positions of the Islamic State are communicated to his government, and if these attacks were 'more serious,' they could help his regime. In an interview broadcast on BBC on Tuesday, February 10, he denied accusations of the government's use of barrel bombs and unguided weapons that have caused the deaths of thousands of civilians in rebel-controlled areas. The US-led coalition, which began airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria on September 23, has firmly rejected any coordination of these operations with the Syrian government. Bashar al-Assad accused the coalition countries of supporting groups fighting to overthrow him, labeling it as support for 'terrorism' and confirmed that there is no cooperation with the coalition forces. He added that there is 'no direct cooperation' with the coalition, which includes the US and several Arab countries. 'Sometimes they send a message. One could say that information is transferred, but there is no dialogue or discussion.' Bashar al-Assad stated that communications occur through a third country, including Iraq, where coalition airstrikes against the Islamic State are also ongoing. The Syrian president remarked, 'Information is transferred to us through more than one country, including Iraq and others. Sometimes they convey messages that are very general and lack tactical and practical points.' He added that these airstrikes are not 'serious.' The Syrian government, which reluctantly accepted airstrikes against ISIS on its territory, claims it is informed before the bombings occur but has repeatedly criticized the coalition forces for lack of coordination. Damascus states that as long as the international community does not cooperate with Syrian forces in this battle, these attacks cannot defeat ISIS. In another part of the interview with BBC, Bashar al-Assad said that the US-led coalition's bombings could potentially help his regime, but so far these attacks have not been intense enough for that purpose. He added, 'Yes, these attacks would have benefits, but if they were stronger, more serious, and more effective. But they are not at that level.' Some analysts believe that the coalition's airstrikes against the Islamic State have allowed the Syrian government to act more freely against other opposition groups. One opposition leader has also accused the US of leaving them alone by conducting air operations against ISIS militants and not against Bashar al-Assad's forces. Human rights groups also accuse the Syrian government of widespread bombing of civilians in areas controlled by rebel groups, including the use of barrel bombs that contain dangerous shrapnel and large amounts of explosives, which are usually dropped by helicopters on these areas. However, Bashar al-Assad denied the use of barrel bombs by government forces in this interview, calling these claims 'childish stories.' Laughing, he said, 'I have never heard of the army using barrels or cooking pots. We have bombs, missiles, and bullets.' He also denied allegations of the government's use of weapons of mass destruction, stating, 'There are no weapons of mass destruction. When you shoot, you aim, and you shoot when you have a target, you target a terrorist to protect civilians.' He rejected the claim that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against the people in an attack in the suburbs of Damascus in August 2013, which left 1,400 dead. Bashar al-Assad said, 'Who has determined which group really used these weapons and against whom?' In response to a BBC reporter's question about his government's responsibility in this attack, he said, 'Certainly not,' adding that the reported casualty figures were 'exaggerated.' Since the 2013 attack and the subsequent destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile under an agreement with Russia and the US, there have been repeated reports of the use of chlorine gas. In many of these cases, local residents reported hearing helicopter sounds, indicating government forces' involvement. Since the start of protests in Syria in March 2011, over 210,000 people have been killed in the country's war. Two rounds of talks to end the conflict in Switzerland have failed. However, the new UN envoy for the Syrian crisis, Stefan de Mistura, traveled to Damascus on Tuesday to begin negotiations. He is expected to discuss his plan to 'stop' the war in Aleppo, where the eastern part controlled by rebels is currently besieged by government forces.