Iraqi vice president fears Taliban-like regime in post-Assad Syria

Iraqi Vice President Khodair al-Khozaei has warned that a Taliban-style regime may be established in Syria if President Bashar al-Assad is ousted from power, RIA Novosti cites Arab media as saying on Wednesday.

“If the Assad government falls, there is a real danger of Syria turning into a country ruled by a regime similar to that of the Afghan Taliban,” al-Khozaei was quoted as saying.

Such a situation, he said, would endanger not only Syria, but also its neighbors Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.

He called on Syrian opposition forces to find “an alternative to the current regime before thinking how to overthrow this regime.”