May 31, 2013 -- Updated 1908 GMT (0308 HKT)
Forces loyal to Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad are seen near Qusair on Thursday, May 30. Tensions in
Syria flared in March 2011 during the onset of the Arab Spring,
eventually escalating into a civil war that still rages. This gallery
contains the most compelling images taken since the start of the
conflict.
HIDE CAPTION
Syrian civil war in photos
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- "It's hard to get a peg" on how many Americans are in Syria, John Kerry says
- Syrian president says the balance of power favors his armed forces
- President Bashar Al-Assad predicts international conference will be held in June
The news outlet said
Thursday the three had been fighting alongside the rebels and were found
with weapons. The report said they were ambushed in their car in the
flashpoint province of Idlib in northwestern Syria, where government
forces have been battling rebels for control.
TV video showed a
bullet-riddled car and three bodies laid out on the ground. It also
showed weapons, a computer, a hand-drawn map of a government military
facility and a flag belonging to the al Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.
The United States is aware of the report of the reported killing of the American and
is working through the Czech Republic mission in Syria to obtain more
information, a State Department official, speaking on condition of
anonymity, told CNN.
Citing privacy concerns, the official said, "We are unable to comment further."
Pictures circulating on
the Internet show the body of Nicole Lynn Mansfield, 33, of Flint,
Michigan, her father and daughter told CNN on Friday.
American woman killed in Syria
What's next in Syria?
Syria's new ground zero
The UK Foreign Office
confirmed that a British national was among the dead. "Their family has
been informed and we are providing consular assistance," it said.
U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry said that some 1,500 to 2,000 American fighters may be in
Syria. "It's hard to get a peg on the exact number," he said at a joint
news conference in Washington with German Foreign Minister Guido
Westerwelle.
The killing continued
Friday in Syria, with the opposition Local Coordination Committees
reporting 125 deaths by night, including eight women, three children and
50 prisoners who the group said were executed by government forces in
Aleppo's Central Prison.
On Thursday, al-Assad told Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV that the balance of power had shifted in his favor.
"The main reason for
tipping the balance is the change in people's opinion in areas that used
to incubate armed groups, not necessarily due to lack of patriotism on
their part, but because they were deceived," he said, according to a
transcript of the interview posted by the state-run Syrian Arab News
Agency.
"They were led to
believe that there was a revolution against the failings of the state.
This has changed; many individuals have left these terrorist groups and
have returned to their normal lives."
The Syrian president offered no evidence to support that assertion.
The arrival of Hezbollah
fighters from Lebanon has had little impact on the overall conflict, he
said. "The number of fighters Hezbollah might contribute in order to
defend the Syrian state in its battle would be a drop in the ocean
compared to the number of Syrian soldiers fighting the terrorists," he
said, using the government's term for opposition fighters.
Asked whether Syria has received S-300 missiles from Russia, which supports the Damascus government, al-Assad was noncommittal.
"It is not our policy to
talk publicly about military issues in terms of what we possess or what
we receive," he said. "As far as Russia is concerned, the contracts
have nothing to do with the crisis. We have negotiated with them on
different kinds of weapons for years, and Russia is committed to
honoring these contracts."
Russia has been criticized by the West for reported sales of six S-300 air defense systems to Syria under a 2010 contract.
Moscow, however, has
said such deliveries would conform with international law and has denied
supplying Syria with weapons that can be used against civilians.
Kerry described any transfer of S-300s to the region as "not helpful."
"Whether it's an old
contract or not, it has a profoundly negative impact on the balance of
interests and the stability of the region, and it does put Israel at
risk," he said.
Plans for an
international conference to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, remain
unclear, but al-Assad predicted it will take place in June.
"We have announced a couple of days ago that we agree in principle to attend," he said.
But if conditions are
imposed by any of the participants, Damascus could decide to withdraw,
he said. "So the idea of the conference, of a meeting, in principle is a
good one. We will have to wait and see."
The National Coalition,
the main rebel umbrella group, has demanded that al-Assad step aside as a
condition for its participation in the talks, which were originally
scheduled to be held this month.
Al-Assad said he would
require only one condition -- that anything agreed to during the meeting
would not be binding until the Syrian people approved it through a
popular referendum.
"Either side can propose
anything, but nothing can be implemented without the approval of the
Syrian people. And as long as we are the legitimate representatives of
the people, we have nothing to fear," he said.
It is too early to
discuss whether he will run again for president in the 2014 elections,
the president said. "When the time comes, and I feel, through my
meetings and interactions with the Syrian people, that there is a need
and public desire for me to nominate myself, I will not hesitate.
However, if I feel that the Syrian people do not want me to lead them,
then naturally I will not put myself forward."
Al-Assad said he is confident his government will emerge victorious in its "global war waged against Syria and the resistance."
Al-Assad's remarks came
the same day that a leader of the National Coalition said the rebel
group may not participate in the Geneva conference.
"It is difficult to
continue when Syrians are constantly being hammered by the Assad regime
with the help of outside forces," said George Sabra, acting chairman of
the National Coalition, in a statement.
He cited the siege of
Qusayr and attacks on Eastern Gouta, a suburb of Damascus, as well as
what he said was an "invasion" by Iranian militia members in support of
al-Assad.
The Syrian Arab News Agency reported Friday that government forces had regained control over four towns in Eastern Gouta.
Russia also has
expressed reservations about the planned talks. Conditions on the peace
talks demanded by the National Coalition are too restrictive, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told reporters, state news agency
ITAR-Tass reported.
"One has the impression
that the National Coalition and its regional sponsors are doing their
utmost in a bid to prevent the beginning of a political process and
resort to all means, including brainwashing in the West, to induce
military intervention," Lavrov is quoted as saying. "We regard such
approaches as impermissible."
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