The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) political committee held its periodic meeting on Saturday, with the participants including SOC’s President Salem Al-Meslet and Vice-presidents Abdulahad Asteipho, Abdul Hakim Bashar, Ruba Habboush, Secretary-General Haitham Rahma and members of the General Assembly. They discussed the situation in Dara’a province, the latest on the ground and political developments and their impact on Syria.
The discussions were focused on the field developments as the Military Liaison Committee presented a detailed report on the situation in northwestern Syria and Dara’a, especially the Assad regime’s and Iran’s repudiation of the Dara’a agreement.
Al-Meslet warned of the dangers of allowing Iran to actualize its malicious project in southern which aims to change the demographic landscape in the region through besiegement and shelling leading to the mass forced displacement of the indigenous population and replacing them with Iranian-backed sectarian militias.
He stressed that the harm of this malicious project will not be limited to southern Syria, but to all countries in the region, especially Jordan and the Arab Gulf states. “Therefore, we urge our Arab brothers to intervene immediately with all their international weight in order to save the people of Dara’a, lift the blockade on them, and protect them from the brutal Iranian militias and regime forces.”
Al-Meslet also stressed the need for major actors in the international community, especially the United States, the European Union and Turkey, to take urgent action in order to deter the murderous regime from continuing its ongoing crimes against the people of Dara’a and Idlib.
Moreover, he called on the Syrian people to organize protests in front of embassies in the capitals of the world and in the liberated areas in order to build up pressure to stop the regime’s assault on Dara’a and lift the siege on it.
He pointed out that the SOC will visit the United States soon to discuss many issues, foremost of which is the recent military escalation and mass forced displacement against the people of Dara’a, political transition, and accountability of the Assad regime’s criminals and their backers. The visit will coincide with the UN General Assembly’s upcoming session in New York.
He gave a comprehensive overview on the SOC’s recent tour in Turkey and its meeting with many civic bodies and blocs. He also talked about the meetings he held in Ankara with officials in Arab embassies, which would strengthen relations with Arab countries so as to serve the interests of the Syrian revolution and the Syrian people.
Asteipho gave a detailed explanation on its plan for the visit to the US and establishing a legal office in Washington to follow up on the issue of sanctions imposed on the Assad regime.
Participants discussed the positive developments in the issue of the return of residents to their areas and homes in Afrin. They commended the important role of the Syrian National Army in ensuring their safety and in refuting the lies of the PKK terrorist organization about the theft of absentees’ property.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
