Syrian Coalition Criticizes UN Resolution 2170 for Excluding Assad Regime from Terrorism List

Yasser al-Farhan, member of the Syrian Coalition, said that “the UN Security Council Resolution No.2170 achieved for the Assad regime what it failed to achieve during the Geneva II negotiations. The UN resolution prioritizes the fight against terrorism for the next phase, but the UN Security Council was selective in identifying the source and direct causes of terror in the region. The exclusion of the Assad regime and Iran and Hezbollah militias is unacceptable, and further consolidates the problem rather than solves it. Robert Ford, former U.S. Ambassador to Syria, gave a precise characterization to the situation in Syria when he said “helping a weakened al-Assad regime to consolidate its position in Damascus is not a recipe for sustainable success. The Assad regime cannot roll back the Islamic State now — it is attracting scores of new jihadis every day. Helping al-Assad would multiply the numbers of recruits.” Farhan stresses that “launching airstrikes against ISIS in Syria would not be the most important tactic for success, as the problem of terrorism will remain unsolved as long Assad is in power, and fighting terrorism must start with directing airstrikes against military positions of the Assad regime. There is a pressing need to send immediate support for the Free Syrian Army which has embarked on fighting and fending off the terrorism of ISIS and extremist groups since they started to surge.” Mohammed Qaddah, Vice President of the Syrian Coalition, renews calls to make amendments to the UN Security Council No 2170 and include the Assad regime and Hezbollah in the list of terrorist organizations that threaten the region. “By taking this step the international community will be on the right track in the fight against organized terrorism which is sweeping the region.” Qaddah stresses that the problem is not in waiting for the regime’s consent to target ISIS positions in Syria, but with the decision itself, as it excludes the Assad regime and Hezbollah militia from its list of targets,” commenting on remarks made by US Foreign Ministry spokeswoman who said that “when it comes to preserving our interests we will not wait for the approval of the Assad regime to allow airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.” Qaddah also said that “Syrian rebels have long been fighting ISIS and the Assad regime, not only in defense of our interests, but also on behalf of the whole world, without waiting for any international resolutions in this regard. We have also warned many times of the growing threat posed by this monstrous organization, which was allowed to grow and fester under the eyes of the Assad regime and the international community. When the world has finally begun to realize the danger posed by ISIS, the Syrian people were surprised by the UN Security Council’s exclusion of the arch terrorist and the godfather of extremism from its list of terrorism.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)