Miqdad: Dropping Barrel Bombs on Civilians Makes a Mockery of Regime Talk of a Political Solution

Luay al-Miqdad, the FSA’s political and media coordinator, calls on the international community to document the admission made by Assad’s Foreign Minister Walid Muallem that the regime is using barrel bombs against rebellious Syrian cities. Muallem’s admission came in response to a question by a reporter who asked him about the reason for the use of explosive barrels in the bombing of Syrian cities. “Do you want us to face the terrorists by telephone messages?” Muallem replied.  Miqdad said that these “explosive barrels are internationally banned and using them reflects the failure of the Assad and ISIS gangs to prevail on the battlefield.” Miqdad also lampooned statements by Muallem that the presence of Hezbollah’s terrorist militia on Syrian soil is “to make pre-emptive strikes against Syrian terrorists.” Miqdad points out that “the policy of preemptive strikes is typical of the Assad regime, as they pre-emptively killed the children of Dara’a, peaceful demonstrators and women for fear of being terrorists.” Miqdad revealed that the reason behind the intensified aerial shelling on Aleppo is a telephone call from Russian President Vladimir Putin who ordered Bashar al-Assad of the urgent need to control the city of Aleppo at all costs. Miqdad recalled remarks made by Ali Haider, Minister of National Reconciliation in the Assad regime, who said that the killings and systematic destruction waged by Assad’s forces on the Syrian people are “a military victory and the only solution that has achieved tangible results on the ground.” Miqdad concluded that it is impossible that “the Assad regime think of any political solution, as he is still living in the illusions of clinging to power. Assad thinks that the Coalition delegation at Geneva II came in order to take power. The coalition delegation, the FSA’s General Staff and all the revolutionary blocs do not seek seizing power, but all of them are seeking to establish democracy and freedom for the Syrian people.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)