The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s Communities Office held a virtual meeting with heads of Syrian-American organizations to discuss the latest on the ground and political developments in Syria.
The meeting brought together SOC’s President Salem al-Meslet, Coordinator of the Communities Office Muhammad Yahya Maktabi, member of the SOC’s political committee Abdul Majeed Barakat, and SOC’s representative in Washington Qutaiba Idilbi.
In attendance were also heads of US-based Syrian organizations Zaher Sahloul, Tarek Abu Ghazaleh, Muhammad Bakr Ghuabis, and Suzanne Meriden.
Al-Meslet talked about the SOC’s efforts to ensure an end to the Assad regime and its backers’ barbaric onslaught on Idlib province, which is targeting residential areas and causing civilian casualties, the majority of whom are women and children.
Al-Meslet stressed that the SOC’s political efforts have not stopped since the start of the latest bombing campaign. He said that the SOC is sending letters and legal memoranda to the UN Secretary-General, the UN Security Council, and the active and influential states in Syria.
Moreover, Al-Meslet stressed the important role of the Syrian-American organizations at this stage in mobilizing the public opinion and the US media as well as in communicating with the decision-maker in Washington to stress the need for a US action to stop attacks against civilians.
Al-Meslet also talked about the continued reform process that the newly elected leadership of the SOC launched, with the process emphasizing the importance of the reform to include all institutions of the revolution, not just the SOC’s institution.
For her part, Meriden talked about the importance of focusing on working with the US media in view of the important role that the media plays in influencing the American public opinion, which will build up a pressure on the American decision makers to give priority to Syria.
Ghuabis stressed the need for continuous coordination between the SOC and the Syrian-American organizations as well as the exchange of documents, notes and positions.
For his part, Maktabi talked about the importance of developing a strategy and an annual joint work plan between the two parties, in addition to periodic meetings and permanent communication.
Barakat gave an overview on the situation on the ground and the bombing targeting Idlib by the Assad regime and its backers. He cited the bombing of Afrin Hospital, which was proven to have been carried out by the terrorist PYD militia stationed in Tal Rifaat. He stressed the need to reach out to parliaments worldwide, especially the US Congress, in addition to communicating with American human rights organizations in this regard. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
