WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The United States refuses to support any regional counter-terrorism coalition involving the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said.
“We would not support anything that involved Assad’s government,” Toner said when asked about a Russian proposal for a regional anti-terror coalition against the Islamic State militant group.
President Putin held meetings on Monday with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem to discuss efforts to combat the Islamic State as well as continue the dialogue toward a peaceful resolution of the ongoing conflict in Syria.
The United States has committed to a program to train and equip so-called moderate Syrian rebels to fight against the Syrian Army as well as the Islamic State forces.
