The Syrian army continues its operations to recover territory from Islamist militants in the southwest of the country, liberating a number of villages in the province of Daraa. As government forces gain ground, the massive task of reconstruction has already begun. But in an interview with the Russian television channel NTV, President Bashar al-Assad said Damascus does not want money from Western countries that helped tear apart his country. Chuck Tinte has more.

400 billion US dollars. That's the estimated cost of reconstruction after years of conflict. President Bashar al-Assad says interference from the West is to blame for the war dragging on. And the West, therefore, is the last place he will seek help.

BASHAR ASSAD SYRIAN PRESIDENT "We won't allow them to be part of it. Whether they come with money, without money, whether they came with loan or with donation or a grant, whatever. We don't need the west. The west is not honest at all. They don't give, they only take."

"The West" refers mostly to Britain, France and the United States. They've repeatedly claimed that Damascus has used chemical weapons.

Assad says the accusation is totally groundless.

BASHAR ASSAD SYRIAN PRESIDENT "We don't have, no, since 2013 we don't have, but put this aside, even if you have it, you should be using those weapons at least if you are being defeated, not if you win the war, and actually every time we are winning, they use it. So this is again the logic, that this is used as pretext in order to support the terrorists in Syria."

The government continues to make progress in reunifying the country. Assad says the Islamist militants should now surrender. But if they don't the Syrian army will press ahead with operations against them. Chuck Tinte CGTN.