Syria’s Assad Says Trump’s Focus on Fighting ISIS ‘Promising’

Assad said Trump’s focus on fighting ISIS was promising, although it was too early to expect any practical steps.

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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said US President Donald Trump prioritising the fight against jihadists led by Islamic State was promising although it was too early to expect any practical steps, state news agency SANA reported on Tuesday.

Assad was quoted as saying:

I believe this is promising but we have to wait and it’s too early to expect anything practical.

The Kremlin, Assad's most powerful ally, said Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed setting up "genuine coordination" in the fight against Islamic State and "other terrorist groups" in Syria during a phone call last month.

Assad was also quoted as saying that US-Russian cooperation in stepping up the fight against the militants would have positive repercussions.

Trump has previously indicated he might cut US support for Syrian rebels that have been fighting Assad, and that he could cooperate with Russia in the fight against Islamic State in Syria.

Trump has made defeating Islamic State a core goal of his presidency and signed an executive order asking the Pentagon, the joint chiefs of staff and other agencies to submit a preliminary plan on how to proceed within 30 days.

(With inputs from Reuters and NBC News.)