Assad Pledges to Regain Control of Northern Syria By Force If Needed

According to Reuters, President Bashar al-Assad said that the Syrian army will regain control of the country’s north by force if rebels there refuse to surrender. Assad’s comments come after Damascus said it rejected the presence of Turkish and U.S. forces around the northern town of Manbij. In an interview, Assad said “We have chosen two paths: the first and most important one is reconciliation... The second path is to attack terrorists if they don’t surrender and refuse to make peace."