Pripisujući to nasilje opozicionim grupama umiješanim u stranu zavjeru da se u zemlji posije haos, Assad je izjavio da se "saboteri" koji su stavili mrlju na imidž Sirije i oslabili stanje nacionalne sigurnosti moraju izolirati.
Blaming the violence on opposition groups involved in a foreign conspiracy to sow chaos in the country, Assad said that "saboteurs" who have smeared Syria's image and weakened national security had to be isolated.