Syrian Coalition: Jaafari’s Remarks Perceived as a Threat of Massacre in Response to Rebel Victories

Haitham al-Maleh, head of the legal committee, calls on the international community to take immediate action towards a possible massacre by the Assad regime using chemical weapons. Bashar Jaafari, the regime’s ambassador to the United Nations, said that “we are afraid of a possible rebel attack on convoys carrying chemical weapons near the Syrian coast. Rebels may use these weapons to implicate government forces. Rebels also may try to hinder the handover of chemical weapons to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons according the agreed on deadline.” Maleh said that Jaafari’s remarks reflect the regime’s lack of seriousness in relinquishing its chemical weapons and its defeat in face of rebels in the Syrian coast. These remarks are also perceived as a threat to commit a massacre using chemical or conventional weapons under the pretext of protecting convoys of chemical weapons. Assad is still trying to evade handing over its chemical weapons cache, as he knows he is well aware that his survival in power is related to his possession of these weapons. Badr Jamous, Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition, commends the latest advance of the FSA near the Syrian coast and its defense of unarmed civilians against the crimes committed by regime forces backed by the terrorist militias of Iran and Hezbollah.” He also praised the FSA’s efforts to rid Syria of the rule of the Assad family. “We trust the FSA and its ability to protect civilians in accordance with the principles of the Syrian Revolution and we reiterate our full support for the rebels of the coast. We also stress that we are making every efforts to secure all forms of military and political support for all the revolutionaries in order to liberate the country from the enemies of humanity and usurper of the people’s rights and to enable the Syrian people to achieve the goals of the revolution in freedom, democracy and justice.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)