Syria's Assad slams Britain's 'illegal' airstrikes

"This kind of operation is like cutting out part of the cancer. That will make it spread in the body faster.”

Last Thursday Parliament gave the green light for Royal Air Force jets to start bombing parts of Syria currently under the control of Islamic State.

But Assad claimed Britain’s military intervention will only make matters worse.

He added that Russia is the only country with a chance of succeeding against Islamic extremists operating in Syria.

The government of Russian President Vladimir Putin is Assad’s strongest ally and the two have joined forces on the ground to obliterate Islamic State.

The Syrian president, who has been accused of launching attacks against civilians, also jeered at the idea that moderate groups are currently fighting in the country’s bloody civil war.

He told the Sunday Times: "That is what they always talk about: moderate groups in Syria. This is a farce based on offering the public factoids instead of facts.”

Syrian opposition groups will meet this week in Saudi Arabia, before starting peace talks with the government.

He added: "Before the meeting and after the meeting Saudi Arabia has been supporting terrorists and will continue to do so.”

According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, over 200,000 people have lost their lives in Syria’s four-year cvil war.

Since September last year, 3,000 airstrikes have been conducted against ISIS targets by a US-led campaign.

Washington’s Middle Eastern allies, which include Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, have all taken part on the airstrikes.

France has joined in the bombing in the wake of the Paris terror attacks last month, which killed 130 people.

Russia, which together with Iran is Assad’s strongest supporter, is said to not only be targeting ISIS strongholds but also parts of Syria under control of any anti-Assad groups.

(dailystar.co.uk)