MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Syrian President Bashar Assad should not be forcefully overthrown, as Syrian nationals should determine the fate of their country, Merab Shamoyev, chairman of the International Union of Kurdish Public Associations, said Friday.
"The Kurds are against the forceful overthrow of Assad, his fate should be decided by the Syrian people," Shamoyev said during a press conference in Moscow.
Shamoyev added that the Kurds did not fully trust the Assad regime since he failed to recognize the Middle Eastern ethnic group throughout his time as president.
According to the Kurdish politician, Assad would not be reelected were a free election to be held in Syria.
Since 2011, Syria has been mired in a civil war with forces loyal to the Syrian leader fighting a number of opposition factions and extremist groups, including Islamic State and the Nusra Front, both outlawed in Russia.
