Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat says the timing of the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and the withdrawal of foreign fighters remain the main sticking points to finding a lasting resolution to the civil war in Syria.
Quagmire A senior U.S. official, meanwhile, says Russia’s military intervention into a conflict that has killed more than 250,000 people and forced 11 million from their homes will drag Moscow into a “quagmire” that will alienate Sunni Muslims.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir and U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Tony Blinken made the comments on Saturday at the Manama Dialogue security conference, just hours after their two countries and more than a dozen others agreed to pursue a new peace effort involving Syria’s government and opposition groups.
