Riyadh, September 30 (RHC)-- Saudi Arabia says Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave office or face being removed via military intervention.   Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir made the remarks at the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday following a meeting with his country’s allies. 

“There is no future for Assad in Syria,” Jubeir said.  “There are two options for a settlement in Syria.  One option is a political process where there would be a transitional council.  The other option is a military option, which also would end with the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power.” 

He noted that a military option would be a lengthier and more destructive process, but the “choice is entirely that of Bashar al-Assad.”  The Saudi foreign minister also admitted that the kingdom and other countries are already backing so-called “moderate rebels” fighting the Damascus government but refrained from commenting on the specifics of a military option. 

Saudi Arabia is currently engaged in a military aggression in Yemen, which it launched on March 26 -- without a United Nations mandate.  According to a report released on September 19 by the Yemen’s Civil Coalition, over 6,000 Yemenis have so far lost their lives in the airstrikes, and a total of nearly 14,000 people have been injured.