Syrian leader's uncle calls for him to step down

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must step down quickly to stop the country spiraling into civil war, but should be allowed to stay in the country as he is not responsible for the unrest, the incumbent leader's uncle Rifaat al-Assad said on Thursday.

In an interview with French television, Rifaat al-Assad said months of civil unrest had effectively deprived Syria of leadership, and it now risked being torn apart by armed militias and could face a worse upheaval than neighboring Lebanon's civil war in the 1970s and 80s. (Reuters)