Coordinator of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) Riad Hijab on Monday said that Bashar Assad must leave Syria at the start of transitional process and be held accountable for war crimes before an international tribunal.
Hijab also said that the Syrian opposition would decide this week whether to attend forthcoming peace talks in Geneva, adding that the HNC has filed a formal complaint to the United Nations about continued Russian air strikes despite the truce.
Regime forces, backed by Russia’s air force, Iranian and Iraqi militias, have repeatedly breached the temporary ceasefire including through the use of barrel bombs and toxic gas, Hijab told reporters during a conference call.
The HNC would consult military commanders and other leaders about whether to attend the forthcoming round of Geneva talks, Hijab said.
Hijab said he had sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to protest the accuracy of a map published by the Russian Defense Ministry showing armed groups’ alleged positions, thus legitimizing Russian air strikes on targets of their choosing.
“If it [the map] was taken seriously it would represent a clear and flagrant violation of the cessation of hostilities agreement,” Hijab added. (Source: Agencies)