Report: Syria’s Assad says not responsible for deaths

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denies he is responsible for the killing of thousands of protesters, telling a US reporter he was not in charge of the forces behind the crackdown, the network said on Tuesday.

In a rare interview, Assad spoke on Monday to ABC News veteran journalist Barbara Walters and said: “I’m the president. I don’t own the country, so they’re not my forces.” (AFP)