ISTANBUL The US is closely monitoring the escalating situation in Syria, according to a statement Saturday from National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett. The statement criticized the Assad regime for its refusal to engage in the political process outlined by UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2254. "The United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization," it said. Savett stressed that the US called for