Syria slams France for lack of cooperation on Islamic State

Syria on Sunday criticised France's President Francois Hollande for his refusal to cooperate with Damascus against jihadists from the extremist Islamic State group.

Reuters/Syria TV via Reuters TV

The Syrian state news agency SANA quoted the foreign ministry as saying: "The French president's insistence on pursuing his campaign of lies since the beginning of the crisis in Syria... has made his country one of those most responsible for the bloodshed in Syria."

The statement went on to say that regional and international support for extremist organisations like the Islamic State (IS) prolongs the crisis and contributes to the spreading of armed terrorist groups to countries in the region and beyond.

President Hollande on Thursday rejected a proposal from the regime of President Bashar al-Assad's who offered to work with the international community to tackle the threat posed by IS.

Assad’s offer comes as the Islamic State has seized territory in both Syria and Iraq, and established a caliphate in the region.

But Hollande said that Bashar al-Assad cannot be a partner in the fight against terrorism because he is a de facto ally of jihadists.

The Syrian government says they are fighting a war on "terror" and views anyone wanting to overthrow Assad as a terrorist.