Syrian regime responsible for ISIL's expansion -- UK official

LONDON, Sept 18 (KUNA) -- UK Minister for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Tobias Ellwood on Thursday said the Syrian regime is responsible for creating the atmosphere that helped the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) organization to expand.
Syrian citizens' statements, published by the International Commission of Inquiry, confirmed "continuance of violence by Bashar Al-Assad toward his people," said Ellwood commenting on the International Commission report, in a statement.
Ellwood stressed the need to stand beside the Syrian people and not to abandon them, and pointed out that the only way to end the violence is through dialogue between the Syrian Government and the moderate Syrian opposition.
He reaffirmed his country's continuous support for the Syrian National Coalition, the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
The International Commission of Inquiry headed by Paulo Sergio Pinheiro "is doing well by renewing its demand" to the UN Security Council to take action over the crisis in Syria, including the referral of the situation to the International Criminal Court with regard to the responsibility of the Syrian regime for violence on Syrians, he added. (end) kd.ss