Assad Accuses West of Defending ‘Terrorists’ After Aleppo Fall
- Russia’s UN ambassador rejects reports of civilian atrocities
- UN secretary-general calls for an end to Syrian ‘carnage’
Destruction in Aleppo's old city.
Photographer: George Ourfaliang/AFP via Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accused Western countries of caring more about protecting “terrorists” than civilians in Aleppo, where his Russian-backed military drove out opposition fighters in an onslaught condemned worldwide for its brutality.
Pressure on Syria’s Russian and Iranian backers to arrange a cease-fire in Syria’s former commercial hub was tantamount to saying, “Please, stop the advancement of the Syrian army against the terrorists,” Assad said in an interview with Kremlin-funded RT television that airs Wednesday, according to an excerpt on the station’s website.