‘ISIS Took Palmyra Under U.S. Supervision’: Syrian President Assad

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has held the United States responsible as ISIS took control of Palmyra. The ancient Syrian city has been captured by the terrorist group once again, while the Syrian regime continues to blame the West.

According to Assad, it was possible for ISIS to capture Palmyra in Syria only with the supervision of the U.S. alliance. He says that the Palmyra siege has a direct connection with what is going on in Iraq. The U.S. coalition has forced the terrorist group to leave Mosul. This may have helped ISIS grow stronger in Syria, he thinks.

The Syrian president, however, believes there is a deeper connection between ISIS and Washington. It is too easy to think that the ISIS came to Syria only because the Iraqi army defeated them in Mosul, he says. Assad emphasizes that the terrorist organization came to Palmyra as an army with huge firepower and manpower, not as a defeated force.

Assad says ISIS has never had this type of backup in Syria in the past. They managed to attack Palmyra in a much stronger manner than expected. It could only be possible because a number of countries helped ISIS with new sets of artillery, machine guns, and cannons, he alleges.

“It could only happen when they come in this desert with the supervision of the American alliance that’s supposed to attack them in al-Raqqa and Mosul and Deir Ezzor, but it didn’t happen,” Assad said.

“They either turned a blind eye on what ISIS is going to do, and, or – and that’s what I believe – they pushed toward Palmyra.”

The Syrian president also says that it was not possible that U.S. drones and satellites could not track ISIS advancing toward Palmyra. He believes America has deliberately allowed the terrorist group to take control of the ancient Syrian city. According to him, ISIS is stronger in Syria today only because of the support it gets from the West.

Assad believes ISIS in Syria gets a lot of support from the West, as well as the regional powers. He does not consider ISIS strong enough as an isolated force. It is not possible for terrorists to be strong without having a natural social incubator. Assad believes ISIS does not have that. The group, however, has a lot of money, and that’s what helped it capture Palmyra.

The Syrian president believes ISIS is as strong as its supervisors and supporters. He directs his allegations towards Washington and its allies. He also believes ISIS managed to recapture Palmyra after U.S. President Barack Obama announced a waiver for supplying arms to rebel groups in Syria.

#Assad: Obama waiver for arming rebels in Syria ‘directly related’ to ISIS attack on Palmyra (EXCLUSIVE) https://t.co/4BYmzFWid0 pic.twitter.com/2RWc9AAxX1

— RT (@RT_com) December 14, 2016

Assad believes there is a direct connection between the Palmyra attack and the waiver. The United States and its Western allies had to support their proxies somewhere else after having been defeated in Aleppo, the Syrian president alleged in his exclusive interview with RT.

Meanwhile, American commanders are considering the possibility of launching airstrikes against ISIS after the terrorist group managed to recapture Palmyra. There is a concern that the group in Syria may own surface-to-air missiles. It may use it against the U.S. coalition in the ancient Syrian city.

Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend earlier told reporters that losing Palmyra was a major setback for Syria. The top U.S. commander in Iraq said the Assad army suffered the blow just when it was celebrating its victory in Aleppo. Townsend, however, said that the coalition had the capability to manage threats posed by ISIS.

Regarding ISIL retaking Palmyra, “…if the Russians and the regime don’t strike it, we will.” LTG Townsend

— OIR Spokesman (@OIRSpox) December 14, 2016

Townsend believes the coalition force can soon destroy those surface-to-air missiles and the ones who are operating it in Syria. At the same time, he says it is a concern that ISIS in Palmyra now has the weapon to take out U.S. aircraft.

[Featured Image by Kremlin.ru | Wikimedia Commons| Cropped and resized | CC BY 4.0]