PYRRHIC VICTORY
UK downplays Syria’s gains in Aleppo
Boris Johnson says millions of Syrians will not reconcile with President Bashar al-Assad after this brutal war
London — The Syrian regime’s advances in war-torn east Aleppo do not represent a "victory for Assad" or his Russian ally President Vladimir Putin, British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday. "I really think that it’s a mistake to think whatever happens in Aleppo and other areas of rebel-held Syria could amount to a victory for Assad or for Putin," he told the BBC. The advance of President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in the key Syrian city has sparked global outrage, with hundreds of civilians killed and tens of thousands fleeing since the latest offensive began in November. Syria’s army pushed further into eastern Aleppo on Saturday in an assault that has placed it in control of more than half the former rebel stronghold. Asked if the gains could represent a win for Assad, Johnson replied: "Winning, what is he going to win? It’s impossible to imagine that the people of Syria are going to be reconciled to an Assad-led regime. "There are millions of Syrians who won’t accept th...
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