On a day when Syrian troops prevented UN observers from reaching what is said to be the site of yet another massacre in Syria, the Syrian ambassador in New Delhi, Mr Riad Abbass, denied that his country’s government was behind it. He even claimed that following the arrival of UN observers, terror attacks in Syria have increased.
According to Mr Abbass, militant groups are responsible for the latest massacre, this time in the village of Mazraat al-Qubair which left nearly 78 persons dead. The envoy also said the Huola massacre late last month was carried out by mercenaries from other countries.
Maintaining that Syria is “suffering (from) cross-border terrorism” and that armed groups are getting weapons and financial support from abroad.
In a statement later in the day, the ambassador said the “crisis in Syria is two-fold: political and security (fighting terrorism), the ambassador added, “We are fighting a war that is imposed on us. Syria is going forward on the path of reform and democracy with insistence to fight terrorism.”
Mr Riad also made an indirect reference to the demand by some world leaders, among them US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, that Mr Assad step down as his country’s president. He said in the statement, “The ballot boxes alone can determine who rules Syria...as Mr president assured.”
The envoy also warned, “Syria will take necessary measures to protect its people and if any battle our outside interference is imposed on it, Syria will not stand still.”
Regarding the Houla carnage, Mr Riad maintained that the “method of killing” in the Houla carnage — the victims were either stabbed or shot dead — “refers to Al Qaeda”. He added, “The preliminary investigation reveals that armed terrorist groups committed the massacre.”
While the Syrian regime led by president Bashar al-Assad is being blamed for the Houla killings which have caused worldwide outrage, the Syrian ambassador said on Thursday, “there is no state or government that kills it own people”.