The president's remarks come amid the ongoing evacuation of hundreds of members of the controversial group, which Damascus considers to be a media arm of al-Qaeda in Syria.
Speaking to Russian media on Thursday, Bashar Assad reiterated his position that the White Helmets were not a rescue group, but rather a “mask” for Nusra Front* militants. Assad said that the leaders of the group had likely already fled Syria, with the remainder staying behind under the guise of civilians and hiding in militant-controlled Idlib, which he said was home to “tens of thousands of terrorists.”
“They have fled Syria, but really did not flee — they were evacuated by Israel, Jordan and the Western powers,” Assad said.
According to the president, any White Helmets who refuse amnesty will be liquidated. “The fate of the White Helmets will be the same as that of any terrorist. They have two paths: either lay down their arms and take advantage of amnesty … or be liquidated, like other terrorists,” he said.
Commenting on the Syrian military's priorities, Assad called the liberation of Idlib province one of the main objectives, but not the only one. “Today Idlib is our goal, but not only Idlib. Today, of course, there are territories in the eastern part of Syria which are controlled by various groups. Some are held by Daesh* (these are small pockets) as well as Nusra Front, and other extremist formations….
