US threatens "firm, appropriate measures" against Syria violations

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The US will "take firm and appropriate measures" in response to Syrian government's violations in a so-called de-escalation zone in the southwest of the country, the State Department said in a statement on Thursday.

The southwest of Syria, bordering Jordan and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, is one of the remaining parts of the country still outside the government control after seven years of conflict.

President Bashar al-Assad's forces have recovered swathes of territory from rebels with the help of Russian air power and Iran-backed militias, and he has repeatedly pledged to take back "every inch" of the country.

Since last year, a "de-escalation" deal brokered by Russia, the United States and Jordan has contained fighting in the southwest.

As a member of the UN Security Council, Russia "is duly responsible" to "use its diplomatic and military influence over the Syrian government to stop attacks and compel the government to cease further military offensives," the state department said in its statement.

The State Department also said the United States would release 6.6 million US dollars to the Syrian Civil Defense fund, commonly known as the White Helmets, and the Un International, Impartial and Independent Mechanism, which collects and analyzes evidence of violations of international human rights laws.

'Still pursuing political solution'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during an interview with Iranian channel al-Alam News in Damascus, Syria on June 13, 2018. /Reuters Photo

On Tuesday, a military commander in the regional alliance that backs President Bashar al-Assad said the Syrian army had reinforced its anti-aircraft defenses near the frontier with the Golan Heights.

Additional defenses are set to be deployed in the coming days, the commander told reporters. The stationing of the Russian-made Pantsir S1 weapon system aims “to renew the air defense system against Israel in the first degree,” added the commander, a non-Syrian who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Syria’s multi-sided war has pivoted towards the southwest in recent weeks, risking the escalation in an area of major concern to Israel where the conflict has been contained since last year by an agreement underwritten by the United States and Russia.

In response to Washington's growing concern, Assad said on Wednesday that his government is in contacts with the Russians, the Americans and the Israelis.

Speaking in an interview with Iranian channel al-Alam News, Assad said his government is still pursuing a political solution for Syria’s rebel-held southwest but will use military force if this fails.

"We are giving the political process a chance. If that doesn’t succeed, we have no other option but to liberate it by force," he said.

He also said Iran does not have any military bases in Syria, unlike Russia. But he said that if there is “a need for Iranian military bases, we will not hesitate.”

Source(s): Reuters