Close advisor of Syrian president calls Australia to join them in fighting ISIS
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s close advisor has asked Australia and other western countries to help them fight the Islamic State, which now controls large parts of Iraq and Syria.
Bouthaina Shaaban, an Assad’s senior political and media adviser, spoke on ABC Lateline, where she issued a warning against the western states including Australia and blamed them for the crumbling order in Syria. "My message to the Australian Government is that there should be a real intention to fighting terrorism," she said.
She called upon the states to form a coalition and cooperate with Assad’s government to combat terrorism.
Shaaban, who has been close to the Syrian ruling family for a long time, has said that Australia hasn’t done a good job so far, taking a dig at Australia’s role in combating terrorism as part of a U.S.-led Coalition. Earlier th is week, Australia conducted airstrikes on ISIS targets in Syria for the first time.
She insisted that Western countries should focus on fighting ISIS militants rather than interfere in Syrian politics by opposing the hardline regime. "Why are you trying to suppose something about our president instead of trying to solve the problem for the Syrian people and for Syria and for the Middle East and for the world at large?" Shaaban said.
She also accused Coalition governments of turning Syria into a satellite for the West. She argued that the ongoing conflict has been result of the independent opinion of the Syrian people and blamed the west for trying to mar the independence.
With Russia’s extended military assistance in Syria, Shaaban said that Russia had only advised them so far and that they would cooperate with the Syrian regime and army without doubt. "The best way to fight terrorism is to have this coalition broadened, not only from Russia,” she insisted.
The Syrian government has drawn international condemnation for its role in country’s crisis. The authoritarian government has been accused of killing thousands of civilians using arms and barrel bombs. Counter-insurgency expert David Kilcullen told on Lateline that to end violence in Syria, the regime may need to be part of that solution.
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