Officials in the Syrian Coalition said that Russia and Iran completely dominate the Assad regime and its institutions, adding that Russian and Iran are partners in the war crimes being committed against the Syrian people.
The Coalition officials made these remarks during a teleconference with leaders in the town of Dumair the Qalamoun area on Wednesday.
“Haitham al-Maleh, head of the Coalition’s legal committee, said that they are documenting and collecting evidence about all crimes being committed by the Assad regime, Russia and Iran against the Syrian people.” He added that the Coalition regularly addresses the United Nations and the UN Security Council to use these crimes in evidence at the ongoing investigations and to ensure that those responsible are held to account.
Member of the Coalition’s political committee Ahmed Ramadan said that Russia now completely dominates the institutions and ministries of the Assad regime’s government through the appointment of delegates to each ministry while Iran has total control over the Assad regime’s intelligence services.
Moscow is also seeking to interfere in the affairs of the Syrian opposition through the superimposition of Russian-dominated groups onto the opposition, Ramadan said. He pointed out that these groups are intended to debilitate the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) and ensure Assad’s survival and the rehabilitation of his regime.
Ahmed Ghazal, head of the political bureau in the local council in the town of Dumair, said that the Qalamoun area differs from the rest of the areas covered by the “de- escalation zones” agreement. He stressed that the Assad regime carries on with its policies of starvation and besiegement as it continues to prevent the introduction of food and medical supplies to the besieged areas. He noted that these policies are aimed at forcing rebel fighters to agree to so-called reconciliations agreements, which he considered as representing total surrender to the regime.
Ghazal reaffirmed total rejection of the conditions of the Assad regime or the entry of any of its forces into the rebel-held areas as he expressed rejection of the survival of the Assad regime in any a transitional period and the future of Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)