US Republican Senator John McCain said that President Bashar al-Assad has the upper hand in the fight against the foreign-backed armed groups, as he noted that the Syrian leader is unlikely to step down.

US Republican Senator John McCain said that President Bashar al-Assad has the upper hand in the fight against the foreign-backed armed groups, as he noted that the Syrian leader is unlikely to step down.

“We are seeing unfortunately a battlefield situation where Bashar Assad now has the upper hand, McCain said in an interview with CBS's Face the Nation on Sunday.
He added that Assad is unlikely to step down, which is what the US and its allies want him to do.

McCain, who last week surreptitiously visited Syria, urged the administration of President Barack Obama to intervene immediately in the Syrian crisis, claiming that the longer the US waited the more the situation was unraveling.

Concerning Damascus’ participation in Geneva International Conference, which is aimed at resolving the Syrian crisis, McCain said:” "Anyone that believes that Bashar Assad is going to go to a conference in Geneva when he is prevailing on the battlefield, it's just ludicrous to assume that."

Earlier on Friday, the US Senator said the militants fighting the Syrian government were in dire need of “ammunition and heavy weapons” as the government troops are gaining ground in the crisis-hit country.

“There’s no doubt that they (the militants) need some kind of capability to reverse the battlefield situation, which right now is in favor of Assad," he said.