PM vows to work with Obama to end Syria's 'death regime'

David Cameron vowed today to redouble efforts to stop dictator Bashar Assad’s regime “raining down death” on the Syrian people.

After visiting a refugee camp on the Jordan/Syria border, he stressed his first talks with re-elected US president Barack Obama would include fresh steps to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

“I wanted to hear for myself the stories of people who have been bombed and shot and blasted out of their homes in Syria by a deeply-illegitimate and unpleasant regime that is raining down death and destruction on its own people,” he said.

“It is truly horrendous to hear those stories and just redoubles my determination that now, with a newly-elected American president, we have got to do more to help this part of the world, to help Syria achieve transition.”

On the final leg of a three-day Middle East tour, Mr Cameron flew by helicopter, under tight security, to the Za’atri camp where tens of thousands of fleeing Syrians are living at the vast UN-run compound.

Some of them have walked for 15 days to reach the camp and escape Assad militia.

British humanitarian aid for the crisis would be increased by £14 million, Mr Cameron said, after being taken to an area of the border where up to 500 people a day are arriving.

Diplomatic talks are also planned between the UK’s special envoy to the Syrian opposition John Wilkes and rebel military chiefs.

“There is an opportunity for Britain, for America, for Saudi Arabia, Jordan and like-minded allies to come together and try to help shape the opposition, outside Syria and inside Syria, and try to help them achieve their goal, which is our goal of a Syria without Assad,” the Prime Minister added.

It is a recognition that events are increasingly dictated by the military figures and not the splintered political groupings, who met in Qatar this week in an effort to forge an alliance against Assad.

And there is mounting concern that extremists are gaining a major influence inside opposition forces.