Story highlights "We have seen a deliberate strategy of surrounding, besieging and starving innocent civilians," Obama said

Obama: "The Assad regime cannot slaughter its way to legitimacy"

Washington (CNN) President Barack Obama on Friday harshly accused the Syrian regime, along with Moscow and Tehran, of slaughtering civilians in Aleppo.

"We have seen a deliberate strategy of surrounding, besieging and starving innocent civilians," Obama said during a year-end news conference.

"Responsibility for this brutality lies in one place alone: the Assad regime and its allies Russia and Iran," Obama said. "The blood for these atrocities are on their hands."

He added, "The Assad regime cannot slaughter its way to legitimacy."

Asked about the fact the US didn't get involved, Obama said, "Because I am president of the United States, I feel responsible."

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