Assad Accuses Erdogan of Fueling Syrian Violence, Demands Turkish Troop Withdrawal

Syrian President Bashar Assad blamed Turkey for the increase in violence in Syria and called for the withdrawal of Turkish forces from the country. In his first interview with a foreign media outlet in months, Assad accused Turkey of supporting terrorism in Syria and dismissed rumors of a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He insisted that Ankara must provide a timetable for the withdrawal of Turkish troops in order to normalize relations. Assad also discussed Syria's improved relations with some Arab countries and claimed that behind-the-scenes dialogue with the United States had not yielded any results. The Syrian war has resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths, widespread destruction, and the displacement of millions of people.