Washington, July 17 : Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has begun his third term with a vow to recover Syria from Islamist insurgent s and to take revenge against the West for equipping the former with weapons and funds.

He repeatedly claimed to seek vengeance against the West and Sunni Muslim Gulf Arab monarchies that allegedly provided funds to the militants during the three year long civil war.

Western countries have dismissed the June 3 election as fraudulent. The elections were held in regime-controlled territories, reports the Washington Times.

Assad said that West had wanted a revolution and that his supporters were the true revolutionaries.

The mask of freedom and revolution no longer existed, concluded Assad at the swearing in. (ANI)