Assad: 'My Family Doesn't Own the Country', Syria Belongs to Syrians

"My family doesn't own the country," Syrian President Bashar Assad said.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Syria does not belong to the Assad family and every citizen has the right to the presidency of the Arab republic, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in remarks published Tuesday.

"Syria is owned by the Syrians, and every Syrian citizen has the right to be in that position," Assad said in an interview to Belgian media published on the website of Syria's SANA news service.

He further asserted that "my family doesn't own the country."

Since 2011, Syria has been engulfed in a civil war, with government forces fighting against numerous opposition and terrorist groups, including al-Nusra Front and Daesh, banned in a range of countries, including Russia.

While Russia and Iran maintain that the political landscape of the country should be shaped by the Syrian people, Western countries want Assad to resign.