US President Joe Biden on Sunday said deposed Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad should be “held accountable” but called the nation's political upheaval a “historic opportunity” for Syrians to rebuild their country.
In the first full US reaction to Assad's overthrow by an Islamist-led coalition of rebel factions, Biden also warned that Washington will "remain vigilant" against the emergence of terrorist groups, announcing that US forces had just conducted fresh strikes against militants from the Islamic State organization.
“The fall of the regime is a fundamental act of justice,” Biden said from the White House. “It's a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria.”
Asked by reporters what should happen to the deposed president, who reportedly has fled to Moscow, Biden said “Assad should be held accountable.”
Biden -- set to step down in January and make way for Republican Donald Trump's return to power -- said Washington will assist Syrians in rebuilding.
“We will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations, to establish a transition away from the Assad government toward independent, sovereign” Syria “with a new constitution,” he said.
However, Biden cautioned that hardline Islamist groups within the victorious rebel alliance will face scrutiny.
“Some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human right abuses,” Biden said.
The United States had “taken note” of recent statements by rebels suggesting they had since moderated, he said, but cautioned: “We will assess not just their words, but their actions.”
Biden said Washington is “clear eyed” that the Islamic State extremist group, often known as ISIS, “will try to take advantage of any vacuum to reestablish” itself in Syria.
“We will not let that happen,” he said, adding that US forces on Sunday conducted strikes against ISIS inside Syria.
The US military said warplanes hit Islamic State operatives and camps.
Strikes were carried out against “over 75 targets using multiple US Air Force assets, including B-52s, F-15s, and A-10s,” the US Central Command said.
Bd-pratidin English/Tanvir Raihan
