US Envoy Says Washington «Not Satisfied» Till Assad Gone

Local Editor

Commenting on a major de-escalation effort brokered by Russia, Iran and Turkey without American participation, US Ambassador to the UN said the US will not be satisfied as long as Syrian President Bashar Assad is in power.

Russia, Turkey and Iran agreed Friday on the fourth, final, de-escalation zone in Syria, which is designed to ensure ceasefire between Syrian government forces and armed groups for a period of six months in order to pave the way for a political resolution to the six-year war.

The deal, which is also aimed at separating terrorist groups, including the Wahhabi Daesh [Arabic acronym for "ISIS" / "ISIL"] and al-Nusra Front from so-called moderate opposition, was agreed with the approval of the Syrian government, as well as members of Syrian opposition who participated in the talks.

This came ten days after the Syrian army with Russia's help liberated one of Daesh's last strongholds in Syria, the city of Deir ez-Zor, which had been under the terrorists' siege for three years. The lifting of the siege finally allowed humanitarian aid to reach the city.

"We're not going to be satisfied until we see a strong and stable Syria. And that is not with Assad in place," US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said at a White House briefing on Friday, when asked whether the US was left behind in international efforts to resolve Syrian crisis.

Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Friday the Syrian army had already crossed.

"After a major victory near Deir ez-Zor, the Syrian government army continues to clear ‘ISIS' terrorists from the eastern regions of the country," according to Zakharova.

"The suburbs of this provincial center have been liberated. Advance units have successfully crossed the Euphrates and are holding positions on its eastern bank," she added, without specifying the location.

On September 12, the Russian military said that the Syrian army had regained control of 85 percent of the country's territory.

The first UN humanitarian convoy arrived in Deir ez-Zor on Friday. Russia began delivery of aid to the embattled city last week, almost immediately after the siege was lifted.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team