WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th December, 2018) The American lawmakers have called on the US Administration to develop a strategy for the conflict-torn Syria aimed at having Syrian President Bashar Assad leave the post as well as having Russian and Iranian forces pull out from the country, the House Foreign Affairs Committee said in a press release.
The release was issued following the passage of a resolution by the House of Representatives.
"Today, the House of Representatives passed H. Res. 1165, which condemns the Assad regime and its backers for their continued support of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria," the release said.
The committee's Chairman Ed Royce said before Tuesday's vote that the conflict will not end in Syria until Assad leaves power and both Russia and Iran withdraw from the country.
"Finally, this resolution calls for the administration to act quickly to develop a strategy towards a political transition in Syria where the Assad regime leaves power and all Iranian and Russian forces leave the country," Royce stated.
The United States and its allies have repeatedly stated that they do not consider the Syrian settlement possible if Assad stays in power. Russia has supported the legitimate government of the Syrian president, repeatedly stressing that only the Syrian people should decide the fate of Assad.
Syria has been in a state of conflict since 2011, with the government forces fighting against numerous opposition groups and terrorist organizations. Russia, along with Turkey and Iran, is a guarantor of a countrywide ceasefire in Syria, while it also provides humanitarian assistance to Syrian civilians and is actively engaged in dialogue on settlement to the Syrian crisis.
The US-led coalition of more than 70 members has been conducting military operations against the Islamic State (IS, or Daesh banned in Russia) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq since September 2014. The coalition's activities in Syria are authorized neither by the Syrian government, nor by the UN Security Council.
