Assad accuses U.S. of fueling Syrian uprising

BERLIN — Syria’s president has accused the United States in a television interview of fueling a violent uprising against his government.

German public broadcaster ARD quoted Bashar Assad as saying that America is partnering with those “terrorists ... with weapons, money or public and political support at the United Nations.”

Assad was further quoted as saying that he won’t step down “in the face of national challenges.”

ARD released Assad’s comments translated into German on Sunday ahead of the full interview’s broadcasting. It said the interview — only the third Assad has given to a western news organization since Syria’s uprising broke out in March 2011 — was conducted Thursday in Damascus and recorded by Syria’s state television.

Syria’s opposition says the uprising has left more than 14,000 dead since last year.