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Assad Likely to Retake Syria, Avoiding Conflict With Turkey, Israel - Coats

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – Syrian President Bashar Assad will likely retake complete control of the Middle Eastern country while avoiding conflict with Turkey or Israel, US Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said on Tuesday.
Sputnik

"President Bashar al-Assad has largely defeated the opposition and is now seeking to regain control over all of the Syrian territory", Coats said during a Senate committee hearing. "The regime will focus on retaking territory while seeking to avoid conflict with Israel and Turkey".

READ MORE: Russian Military Found Dozens of Hidden Small Arms Pieces in Syria

The statement comes soon after acting Defence Secretary Patrick M. Shanahan claimed that the territory in Syria formerly controlled by the Daesh* terrorist group would be recaptured by the US-backed forces within a couple of weeks.

*Daesh (also known as ISIS/ISIL/IS) is a terrorist group banned in Russia

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