French FM Sees Syrian Regime Participating in Anti-IS Fight

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French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Friday he could envisage Syrian regime troops taking part in the fight to crush the Islamic State group.

However, Fabius later clarified his comments, saying he meant that Syrian government troops could take part in the fight against IS only after a change of regime.

In order to fight IS, "there must be two measures: bombings... and ground troops who cannot be ours, but who should be of the (opposition) Free Syrian Army, Sunni Arab forces, and why not regime forces too," Fabius said in an interview with RTL radio.

But he told AFP shortly afterwards he meant that regime forces could take part "within the context of a political transition -- and only in this context".

The principal target of military efforts remains Raqa, the Syrian city that is the stronghold of IS, Fabius said. Russian and French jets have targeted the town in recent days.

"For us it is one of the main military targets, even the main one, because it is the nerve centre of Daesh, and the attacks against France were planned from there," Fabius said, using another name for IS.

French President Francois Hollande said after talks with President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Thursday that Syrian President Bashar Assad, who is strongly backed by Russia, "has no place in the future of Syria."

However, France and some other Western nations have lately softened their approach to Assad, suggesting he could be part of a transitional process to end a war that has left 250,000 people dead.

Comments 8
Default-user-icon kandil in the wind (Guest) over 8 years

What a novel idea, Assad actually fighting IS, not just talking about fighting IS.

Default-user-icon mowaten.santa (Guest) over 8 years

hahahaha! good one Nassir Kandil bro

Default-user-icon the_roar (Guest) over 8 years

Fabius, Nassrallah, Aoun and Assad are the only shias fighting ISIS at the moment.... the rest pffft.

Default-user-icon illegitimate & illiterate Southern (Guest) over 8 years

That's why I come to naharnet.... to read your behind the scenes analysis. I am not sure where you get your information from but BOY are you spot on. I love it

Default-user-icon ignorance (Guest) over 8 years

even I am ashamed of you

Default-user-icon Fabius (Guest) over 8 years

Southern I can hardly understand you?! You have a very heavy Shia Iranian accent, bien sûr.

Missing peace over 8 years

from one day to another those idiot change their rhetorics to fulfill their interests... nothing new under international politics....

Default-user-icon Darwr101 (Guest) over 8 years

The old adage....the enemy of MY enemy is (after all) MY friend!