ATHENS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian Army did not use chemical weapons against civilians, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an exclusive interview printed in Greek newspaper "Kathimerini" (Daily) on Thursday.

"We don't have a chemical arsenal since we gave it up in 2013, and the international agency for chemical weapons conducted investigations about this, and it's clear or documented that we don't have any," the Syrian leader said.

If weapons of mass destruction were used in a crammed area with a population like Douma, there should be hundreds or maybe thousands of victims, not just a few dozens, he argued.

"Why do all the chemical weapons, the presumed or supposed chemical weapons, only kill children and women? They don't kill militants. If you look at the videos, it's completely fake," he stressed.

"I have always said, without any interference, it will take less than a year to regain stability in Syria. I have no doubt about that," Assad said when he was asked about the prospect of restoring peace in Syria.

"The other factor is how much support the terrorists receive, which is something I cannot tell you, because I cannot predict the future. But as long as it continues, time is not the main factor," he added.

"The main factor is that someday, we're going to end this conflict and we're going to reunify Syria under the control of the government. When? I cannot say. I hope it's going to be soon," the Syrian leader said.