Syria's Assad says still pursuing political solution for rebel-held south
Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Wednesday his government is still pursuing a political solution for Syria's rebel-held southwest, but will use military force if this fails.
"We are giving the political process a chance. If that doesn't succeed, we have no other option but to liberate it by force," Assad said in an interview with Iranian channel al-Alam News published in an English translation by Syrian state news agency SANA.
