White House sees momentum in opposition to Syria's Assad

The White House said Wednesday that President Bashar al-Assad was losing control of Syria, after a deadly attack on his inner circle, and that the United States was working urgently with international partners to push for a political transition there.    

"There is real momentum against Assad, with increasing defections, and a strengthened and more united opposition that is operating across the country," White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said after a suicide bombing in Damascus that killed Syria's defense minister and Assad's brother-in-law.    

"With the Assad regime losing control, it's time for the Syrian people and the international community to focus on what comes next," he said.    

"We are working urgently with our international partners to push for a political transition in Syria. The international community, including the opposition, has met several times to begin this process and it must continue."

The White House said on Wednesday that the "window is closing" to find a peaceful solution to the violence in Syria and added it did not know the whereabouts of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad after a deadly blast killed three of his top military officials.

"The window is closing, we need to take action in a unified way to help bring about the transition that the Syrian people so deserve," White House spokesman Jay Carney said at a news conference.

The White House also said that the US has worked to convince China and Russia that history is not on the side of those aligned with Assad.
REUTERS