Bashar al-Assad: Airstrikes against Islamic State Are Failing

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Speaking in his first interview since the start of the offensive, Syrian leader says there has been 'no change' noticed on the ground in Syria

Coalition air strikes targeting Isil jihadists in Syria have made no difference, President Bashar al-Assad has said in his first interview with western media since the start of the campaign in which he described himself as a captain “saving his ship”.

Mr Assad said his troops had noticed “no change” in the balance of power on the ground since the start of the US-led bombing campaign in September.

“You can’t end terrorism with aerial strikes,” he told Paris Match in an interview published on Thursday. “Troops on the ground that know the land and can react are essential. That is why there haven’t been any tangible results in the two months of strikes led by the coalition.

“It isn’t true that the strikes are helpful. They would of course have helped had they been serious and efficient. We are running the ground battles, and we have noticed no change.”< br />
Mr Assad’s views on the war in Syria contrasted with an assessment of the situation given by John Kerry, the US secretary of state, yesterday. » | Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent | Wednesday, December 03, 2014