The photo released Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, on a social media site used by Islamic State militants, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows smoke from the detonation of the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Syria’s ancient caravan city of Palmyra. (Source: AP) The photo released Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, on a social media site used by Islamic State militants, which has been verified and is consistent with other AP reporting, shows smoke from the detonation of the 2,000-year-old temple of Baalshamin in Syria’s ancient caravan city of Palmyra. (Source: AP)

Syria on Saturday appreciated India’s position on the crisis in that war-torn country, saying had such a stance been adopted by other countries there would not have been any conflict. Syrian Ambassador Riad Kamel Abbas also said some Indians from the Gulf countries may have joined ISIS ranks in the fight against the Bashar al-Assad regime.

“I have heard from the Indian media that there are some ISIS cadets of India mainly from the Gulf states…but how many I do not know. ISIS contains people from all nationalities including Afghanistan, Pakistan,” he told a group of journalists at the Indian Women’s Press Corps here.

Speaking on India’s role, he welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks on terror opposing making any distinction between good and bad terrorism. “We highly appreciate India’s position on the Syrian crisis in adherence to the UN charter of non-interference for a political dialogue and looking at the aspiration of Syrian people. If everyone had taken India’s position, there would not have been any problem in Syria. We also appreciate Modi’s comment that there is no good terrorism or bad terrorism. It’s just terrorism,” he said. Abbas underscored that countries of the BRICS block can contribute towards peace and security of the world much better than the “erstwhile unipolar world”.

He said the solution to the Syrian crisis lay in supporting the Syrian army, closing Turkey’s borders and putting pressure on Saudis and countries like Qatar while claiming that the Assad government had control over large swathes of territories in the country. “Syrian government can reach any place in the country at any time. It is controlling more populated areas whereas ISIS is holding deserted areas,” he claimed.

The Ambassador also hailed Russia’s role claiming that its recent “strong position” on the issue had nudged other countries to move towards reconciliation and a “political solution.”

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