Nasr Hariri, Head of the delegation of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) to the Geneva talks, stressed that the protection of Syrian civilians from the military operations being carried out by the Assad regime and the Iranian militias is still at the top of the list of demands submitted to the United Nations by the Coalition.
Speaking at a teleconference with members of the local council in the town of Mahja in rural Dara’a on Thursday, Hariri said that reaching a comprehensive ceasefire and the establishment of mechanisms to monitor violations and ensure accountability would be the only way to rein in the Assad regime.
Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition Nazir Hakim and member of the Coalition’s political committee Yasser Farhan also participated in the teleconference.
Members of the council said that the Assad regime and Russian army officers are exerting immense pressure on residents of the town to force them to surrender.
Head of the council pointed out that neither civilians nor the FSA fighters want to negotiate with the regime, expressing concern that the Assad regime may carry out the threats it made of imposing a complete siege and shelling the town. He indicated that the Assad regime made these threats “with the full knowledge of the Russians.”
Hariri pointed out that the HNC delegation will inform the United Nations, the US administration, and the Jordanian government about the developments and violations being committed by the regime. He stressed that the HNC delegation will spare no effort to communicate and work with concerned parties in order to prevent the regime from carrying out its threats against the town.
Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition, Nazir Hakim, said that the town of Mahja has strategic importance, which explains the regime’s attempts to capture it. He noted that the Russians wanted to negotiate with residents of the town to enable the Assad regime establish a foothold in the strategic town. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
