SNC react to Syrian rebel groups criticism
(25 Sep 2013) A member of the Syrian National Coalition had criticised the announcement by some rebel groups inside Syria rejecting the authority of the Western-backed opposition coalition. In a joint statement, 13 rebel groups including a powerful al-Qaida-linked faction, but also more mainstream forces, slammed the Turkey-based Syrian National Coalition (SNC), saying it no longer represents their interests. A video released on the Internet showed Abdel-Aziz Salameh, political chief of the Liwaa al-Tawheed brigade that is particularly strong in the city of Aleppo, reading the statement, which also calls on opposition fighters to unite under a "clear Islamic framework." But Samir Nashar said that is not the wish of all those opposed to the Syrian government. "Inside Syria there is an ideological and religious divide. Those brigades announced that they want to make an Islamic political framework. This means that there is an additional challenge to the other parties of the Syrian revolution that want to establish a state," he said. The statement reflects the lack of unity between the political opposition, based in exile, and the disparate rebel groups fighting President Bashar Assad's regime in Syria's civil war, which has killed over 100,000 people so far. It also highlights the growing irrelevance of the Coalition and its military arm headed by General Salim Idris, who heads the Supreme Military Council supported by the West, amid increasing radicalisation on the ground in Syria. Nashar said Wednesday's announcement will strengthen Assad's hand. "They (Western countries) will believe the allegations of the regime that there are extremist groups fighting in Syria, and will doubt that we want a democratic state." Many rebel groups blame jihadis and al-Qaida militants in their ranks for the West's reluctance to intervene militarily in Syria or give them the advanced weapons they need. There is also growing concern that the dominant role the extremists are playing is discrediting the rebellion. The SNC said they are working out how to deal with the statement. Nashar called for an urgent political discussion. "We invite the powerful regional countries that help all the armed groups in Syria, whether they are Islamic or not, to discuss and help the unification of the rebels," he said. Syria's rebel movements vary greatly in their levels of internal organisation, and it was not possible to immediately verify whether the other signatories' leader or fighters on the ground had approved the statement. But there were no immediate reports that any of them had rejected it. The jihadis, including members of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, an al-Qaida offshoot, have been some of the most effective forces on the battlefield, fighting alongside the Western-backed Free Syrian Army to capture military facilities, strategic installations and key neighbourhoods in cities such as Aleppo and Homs. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
