U.S. Disputes Putin's Claim That Syrian War Is Winding Down
- Full-scale war may reignite without transition: U.S. officials
- Russia, Iran can’t afford reconstruction, White House says
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The Syrian conflict is likely to drag on and could reignite into full-scale civil war as long as President Bashar al-Assad remains in power, despite efforts by Russia to paint the conflict as winding down, according to White House officials.
Declarations of victory by Assad’s backers are premature, three White House officials said in a briefing for reporters on Monday. They spoke on condition of anonymity to share internal government assessments of the conflict. The Syrian army is barely able to reimpose authority on territory it has recaptured, even with military support from Russia and Iran, while Assad’s allies can’t afford to rebuild the country, the officials said.