Bashar al-Assad told Charlie Rose that some Americans are sugarcoating ISIS. Moreover, the Syrian dictator claimed, ISIS has expanded since the beginning of the strikes.”
Rose asked Assad, “How much of a benefit are you getting from American airstrikes in Syria reducing the power of ISIS?”
“President Assad: Sometimes you could have local benefit but in general if you want to talk in terms of ISIS actually ISIS has expanded since the beginning of the strikes,” answered Assad, in an interview that aired Sunday on 60 Minutes.
“Not like some– American– wants to sugar coat the situation as the– to say that it’s getting better. As– ISIS is being defeated and so on. Actually, no, you have more recruits. Some estimates that they have 1,000 recruits every month in Syria. And Iraq– they are expanding in Libya and many other al Qaeda affiliate organizations have announced their allegiance to ISIS. So that’s the situation.”
Before airing the interview, Rose explained the unusual ground rules, “We traveled to Damascus this past week and met with Assad for an interview, under the conditions that we use Syrian TV technicians and cameras.”
