<span style="color: #222222;">Syrian President Bashar Assad today said that only the Syrian army can protect groups in northern part of the country. In a speech in the Syrian capital Damascus, he appeared to be referring to US-allied Kurdish groups, which fear a Turkish assault once American troops withdraw from northeastern Syria.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Assad said any foreign troops in Syria will be dealt with as occupation forces.He said every inch of the nation will be liberated, and any intruder is an enemy.</span><br />