Ex-Syrian army commander calls for air strikes on Assad troops

A former army commander who now leads a military council trying to organise armed resistance to Syrian President Bashar Assad said air strikes on forces spearheading his military crackdown would be the only way to avoid a protracted civil war.

Western and regional powers grappling with how to support the year-long uprising against Assad should shed a reluctance for military action and consider air strikes to force out the Alawite ruling elite, General Mustafa al-Sheikh told Reuters. (Reuters)