Syria's Assad says U.S. pressure, sanctions obstructing return of refugees

FILE PHOTO: Syria's President Bashar al-Assad addresses the new members of parliament in Damascus, Syria in this handout released by SANA on August 12, 2020. SANA/Handout via REUTERS

AMMAN (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al Assad on Wednesday blamed U.S. sanctions and pressure on the United Nations and Syria's neighbours for the reticence of more than 5 million refugees who fled the conflict there to return.

"There are many hurdles," Assad said, citing U.S. sanctions at the opening of a conference in Damascus, co-hosted by Moscow, that has been boycotted by Washington, the European Union and most of Syria's neighbours that host the bulk of its 5.6 million refugees.