NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said on Monday that Russia and Iran are complicit in the crimes committed during the rule of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and his fall shows that they are “unreliable partners.”

Rutte said, “Russia and Iran were the main supporters of the Assad regime, and they share responsibility for the crimes committed against the Syrian people.”

He added, "They also proved that they were unreliable partners as they abandoned Assad when he was no longer useful to them."

He pointed out that the end of Assad’s rule “is a moment of joy but also a moment of uncertainty for the Syrian people and the region.”

Rutte continued, “We will watch to see how the rebel leaders behave during the transitional period. They must maintain the rule of law and protect civilians and religious minorities