President Khoja stated that the Syrian Coalition is building a national army whose task will be protecting and re-stabilizing the liberated areas, in an interview with the Qatari Al-Sharq newspaper.
“Having been fiercely battling the Assad regime and its allied sectarian militias for over four years, rebel factions do not need training as much as they need advanced weapons,” he said.
“While Assad’s army is collapsing, the army of the revolution is steadily moving towards more integration, cohesion and the formation of a high military command. Assad will no doubt lose the battle if he insists on pursuing a militarily solution to the crisis.”
“We must seize this opportunity and fill the vacuum left by the regime’s withdrawal from several areas in Syria, and take the chance of having state institutions before they total collapse,” he added.
He also said that “during the upcoming visit to Russia, the Syrian Coalition’s delegation will emphasize its consistent position against the Assad regime and that the transition process must be conducted in accordance with the Geneva Communique which calls for forming a transitional governing body with full executive powers. It will also affirm that the Syrian Coalition will only focus on the Geneva Communique, and that Assad and his inner circle must be excluded from the transitional governing body and the transition process.”
“We will present our vision on the transitional process to the Russians and will call on them to side with Syrian people in light of the military setbacks suffered by the Assad regime.”
With regards to the Iranian intervention in Syria, President Khoja said that Iran is an occupying country, but it can be invited to any future negotiations if it recognizes the outcome of the Geneva I conference. However, these negotiations will focus on Iran’s exit and withdrawal of its militias from Syria and to leave the situation to be solved by the Syrian people.
Khoja confirmed the existence of an agreement to exclude Assad from any role in the transitional process. “Pressure must be put on the Assad regime to bring it back to the negotiating table and agree on the details of transitional process.”
Khoja expressed regret that “two years after Assad forces committed the chemical massacre in the Ghouta suburb near Damascus, the recently adopted UN Security Council resolution failed to refer to this crime nor to the perpetrator. There is credible evidence that the Assad regime continues to use chemical weapons, namely toxic chlorine gas used to kill civilians. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
