Pompeo: Assad regime will not be able to obtain military victory

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called on Tuesday (February 25) for a permanent cease-fire in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, warning that a Russian-backed Assad regime offensive that has driven a million civilians to flee toward the Turkish border could grow to imperil 3 million people. 

“The Assad regime’s brutal new aggression there, cynically backed by Moscow and Tehran, imperils now more than 3 million displaced persons, including, as we’ve tragically seen, young people,” Pompeo told journalists at the State Department today. “As we’ve said many times before, the regime will not be able to obtain military victory.”

The answer is a permanent cease-fire and UN-led negotiations,” Pompeo said. As President Trump said on Tuesday , we are working together with Turkey on seeing what we can do together.”

Pompeo added the Assad regime will not be able to achieve a military victory and the recent offensive in Idlib only heightens the risk of conflict with Turkey.

On Tuesday, Assad warplanes intensified bombardment on Idlib province, killing 22 civilians, including three teachers, nine children and seven women and injuring 90 others, including 39 children and women.

Assad and Russian airstrikes have repeatedly targeted schools and health facilities in the Syria, despite appeals from aid groups and world powers to respect international law.

Based on Agencies