Syria not slacken in hunting down terrorist groups

Xinhua, August 10, 2011

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told visiting Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Tuesday that "we will not slacken in hunting down armed terrorist groups," according to the official SANA news agency.

Al-Assad briefed Davutoglu on the situation in Syria and what the armed groups had done by terrorizing people and the killing of civilians and government forces. He stressed that Syria is determined to go on with the process of reform and opened to any help.

For his part, Davutoglu stressed that he is not delivering "any message from anybody" and expressed his country's keenness in the stability and security of Syria.

He reiterated that Syria under the leadership of Bashar al- Assad would become a module in the Arab world after the completion of the reforms which were adopted by the Syrian leadership, adding that the stability of Syria is essential to the stability of the region.

Davutoglu flew in earlier in the day for talks with Syrian officials on the crisis that has erupted in the country in mid March and to halt all violence acts against protesters.

Washington said it has asked the Turkish minister to tell the Syrian leader to move back his army units to their barracks immediately.

Ahead of the visit, Turkey has said it's sending its foreign minister with a "firm" message to Damascus to halt its military crackdown. Syria says it's hunting down terrorist and extremist groups which it blames for violence and sabotaging acts nationwide that claimed the lives of hundreds of policemen and security agents.

Syrian president's adviser for political and media affairs, Buthayna Shaaban, responded harshly and said the minister would hear in Damascus "stronger words," adding that Turkey has disregarded the facts Syria has presented about terrorist groups tampering with its security and sovereignty.