By Steve Holland and Katharine Jackson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States will work with partners and stakeholders in Syria to help seize an opportunity and manage the risk, U.S. President Joe Biden said on Sunday after rebel fighters overthrew Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
In remarks at the White House, Biden said the United States will support Syria’s neighbors through the period of transition and will assess the words and actions of rebel groups.
Biden said the United States does not officially know of Assad’s whereabouts but noted reports that he fled to Moscow. He said Assad “should be held accountable.”
Biden said Syria is in a period of risk and uncertainty and that it is the first time in years that neither Russia nor Iran nor the Hezbollah militant organization held an influential role in Syria.
“For years, the main backers of Assad have been Iran, Hezbollah and Russia. But over the last week, their support collapsed – all three of them – because all three of them are far weaker today than they were when I took office,” said Biden, who became president in 2021.
Biden said U.S. forces on Sunday conducted a dozen precision strikes within Syria targeting camps and operatives of the militant group Islamic State.
“It’s a moment of historic opportunity for the long suffering people of Syria to build a better future for their proud country. It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty,” Biden said.
“As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risk,” Biden added.
(Reporting by Steve Holland and Katharine Jackson; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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