Syria’s Assad sworn in for third term
 

https://s.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/xV...f4e932040cc69cSyria?s President Bashar al-Assad has been sworn in for a third term in ******, at a ceremony in his palace in Damascus. It follows an election last month which took place only in government-held areas and was described by his critics as a ?parody of democracy?. Assad took 88.7 percent of the vote. In a speech during the swearing-in ceremony, he vowed to fight insurgents in the civil war until security was restored to the whole country. In this warning to those who have backed rebels, he said: ?Soon we will see that all Arab, neighbouring and Western countries who have supported terrorism will pay a heavy price.? Assad?s forces, backed by Iran and Leba**n?s Hezbollah movement, have regained control of much territory **rth of the capital over the past year. But large parts of the **rth and east remain in rebel hands, including those of Islamic militants.




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