World Bulletin / News Desk

 President Barack Obama's envoy charged with building the coalition against ISIL  said on Wednesday President Bashar al-Assad should have no role in any long term solution to Syria's conflict.

Retired Marine General John Allen added in remarks to a conference in Qatar that there was a "very energetic" discussion among a number of countries about how to bring about a political transition in Damascus, but that such a solution would not include Assad, who has been fighting  rebels since 2011.