On hearing the U.S. President Barack Obama’s announcement on air strikes and arming moderate opposition forces in Syria, President Hadi Al-Bahra of the Syrian National Coalition said that “I applaud U.S. President Barack Obama’s leadership in setting out key steps in defeating the ISIS threat. Air strikes on ISIS strongholds in Syria are a much needed element to degrade the extremist group’s capabilities. To be effective, strikes must be accompanied by well-equipped and trained military forces on the ground. We therefore welcome the commitment to intensify the train and equip program to enable the Free Syrian Army, to eradicate ISIS and other forms of terror in Syria, including the Assad regime.” Bahra stresses that “the fight against ISIS is one part of a multi-front war in Syria. The brutal rule and poor governance of the Assad regime generated the conditions for ISIS become the global threat that it is today. The Syrian National Coalition stands ready and willing to partner with the international community not only to defeat ISIS but also oust the Assad regime and put in its place the moderate governance that will stave off extremism and prevent its resurgence over the long term.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
