Assad 'didn't seize opportunity' to engage with Syrian people:

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country's war, Qatar's Prime Minister said Saturday.

"Assad didn't seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and didn't see any serious movement, whether it's on the return of the refugees or on reconciling with his own people," the Qatar’s Prime Minister said at the Doha Forum for Political dialogue.

He said the world had been "surprised" by the speed of a recent rapid advance by Islamist-led rebels in Syria and cautioned that the situation might become "more and more dangerous", threatening a return to a more intense level of civil war.