BEIRUT, September 23 (RIA Novosti) – Syrian President Bashar Assad said Tuesday that his country continues to battle terrorism and supports all international efforts in that direction, according to Syrian state media.
"[Syria] supports any international effort to fight against terrorism," Assad said as quoted by Syria's state news agency SANA.
Speaking at a meeting with Iraqi National Security Adviser Faleh Fayad in Damascus, Assad noted that the success of anti-terrorism efforts is linked not only to military action, but also depends on commitment to international resolutions on the cessation of all forms of support to terrorist organizations.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Unites States carried out a number of airstrikes against IS positions in Syria, using aircraft, drones and Tomahawk missiles. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also reportedly took part in the attacks.
Obama unveiled a strategy for defeating the IS on September 10. The plan includes forming an international coalition to fight the radical organization and authorizing US airstrikes against IS positions in Syria, while simultaneously continuing airstrikes in Iraq, which the United States authorized in August.
The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS), has been fighting against the Assad government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq. Ceasing vast territories in both countries and forcing thousands of people, mostly religious minorities, to flee, the IS declared a caliphate on all the territories under its control.
On August 15, The UN Security Council adopted a resolution condemning widespread abuse of human rights by extremist groups in Iraq and Syria and calling on all United Nations member-states "to act to suppress the flow of foreign fighters, financing and other support to Islamist extremist groups" in the two countries.
