In this Saturday, Dec. 15, 2012 photo, a Free Syrian Army fighter fires a weapon during heavy clashes with government forces at a military academy besieged by the rebels north of Aleppo, Syria. Free Syrian Army fighters took control over the military academy after battling government forces for several hours. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras)
December 16, 2012 - 1:49 PM
BEIRUT - Syria's longtime vice-president says both sides are going down a losing path after 21 months of civil war, as rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad advance on the battlefield.
Farouk al-Sharaa told a Lebanese newspaper that neither the rebels nor the Assad regime can "decide the battle militarily."
Al-Sharaa spoke to the newspaper Al Alkhbar as rebel forces were moving closer to Damascus, Assad's seat of power. He appeared to be trying to show that the rebels are not the solution to the Syrian conflict, and their victory might bring chaos to the country.
Balancing that, he said the Assad regime "cannot achieve change."
Excerpts of the interview were posted on Al-Akhbar's English-language website late Sunday.
The newspaper says the full interview will be published on Monday.
News from © The Associated Press, 2012