Syrian president admits military setbacks, in first public speech for a year
NOVANEWS
Bashar al-Assad gives no overt indication of being ready to cut a deal to end four-year civil war that has left his regime in control of just a third of Syria
Bashar al-Assad delivers a speech in Damascus, Syria – his first public address in a year. Photograph: AP
Simon Tisdall
Sunday 26 July 2015 17.22 BSTLast modified on Saturday 8 April 2017 00.04 BST
The Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, has admitted to a shortage of soldiers and military setbacks, in his first public speech for a year.
Assad also hailed “positive” changes in western attitudes to the conflict in the country – suggesting the US and its allies now understood they share an interest with his regime in defeating Isis-style jihadi terrorism. But he gave no overt indication that he was ...