Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is vowing to continue his government’s fight against rebel groups while ruling out talks with the armed opposition. In his first pubic address in six months, Assad called Syrian rebels a tool of foreign intervention.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: “We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word. We are now confronting a vicious, external war. This form of war is more fragmenting and more dangerous than conventional war because it does not utilize its equipment to hit us, but it pulls us into carrying out its plans. This war targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. It’s trying to use us to tear down our trees and destroy our foundations, and it is with pity that this is happening with help from some of our own.”

Assad said he is open to dialogue, but only with those opposition groups tolerated by his regime. His appearance came days after the United Nations reported the death toll from nearly two years of fighting in Syria has reached around 60,000. In the rebel-held town of Aleppo, a Syrian resident said his fellow citizens don’t trust Assad.

Aleppo resident: “Any normal citizen listening to his speech heard him say that he asks for the refugees to return to their homes. At the same time, he says he will not be deterred in fighting terrorism. How can a citizen go back to his home when at the same time Assad forces are attacking them with missiles and tanks? There is great contradiction in his speech. We’re at a point where citizens don’t believe a word he says.”