Canada must ensure "darker forces" don’t take over Syria, special envoy warns

A surge of deadly violence in Syria highlights the need to ensure “darker forces” don’t take over the struggling country and worsen conditions inside it, Canada’s new special envoy there says.

Omar Alghabra, named Special Envoy for Syria last month, made the remarks during an appearance on The West Block with host Mercedes Stevenson.

Alghabra said the retreat of Russian and Iranian-backed militants after the Assad regime fell, and clashes between the competing interests since then highlights precisely why the world must monitor events in Syria closely.

“This weekend we saw tremendous violence, that had that many civilians pay the price for,” he said.