Syrian Team Voice Support for Assad through T-Shirts

Local Editor

Syria's national football team used a pre-match news conference in Singapore to show support for President Bashar Assad.

Syrian coach Fajr Ibrahim and midfielder Osama Omari strode into the media conference at a hotel on Monday ahead of their match against Singapore clad in white t-shirts with a large photo of their president, saying al-Assad was "the best man in the world."

"This is our president Bashar al-Assad, whom we are so proud of because this man fights against terrorists of the world, and he fights for you also," said Ibrahim, according to local media.

The Straits Times quoted Ibrahim as saying that al-Assad is a keen supporter of the team.

"Our president follows us every step. He supports us, we play for our country and for him also," he was quoted as saying.

Asked if wearing the t-shirt was a political statement, the coach said: "He is my president, this is ours, I don't care about French or any other; I care about my country."

France has carried out airstrikes against "ISIS" in Syria since September but stepped up its raids after Friday's attacks in Paris.

"ISIS" claimed it had attacked Paris in revenge for the French campaign of airstrikes in Syria.

Though, Russia had been carrying out air strikes against Syrian militants since late September at the request of the Syrian government.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team