Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said he is committed to a plan to destroy his country’s chemical weapons but warned it could take about a year.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Fox News, Mr Assad again denied claims that his forces were responsible for a deadly chemical attack near Damascus on 21 August.<\/p>\n
The Syria disarmament plan was unveiled by the US and Russia last weekend.<\/p>\n
The West wants the deal enshrined in a UN resolution backed by the threat of military force, but Russia objects.<\/p>\n
Damascus – backed by Moscow – has insisted that rebel forces carried out last month’s attack in the Ghouta area.<\/p>\n
In a separate development, fierce fighting has been reported between two rebel groups in the north of Syria.<\/p>\n
Activists said the fighting began when jihadists from the al-Qaeda-linked group, the Islamic State of Iraq, and fighters from the Western-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) clashed in the town of Azaz, near the Turkish border.<\/p>\n
This is believed to be one of the biggest confrontations so far between the jihadists and the FSA.<\/p>\n
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