Press release
Syrian Opposition Coalition
Department of Media and Communications
December 18, 2022
The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) welcomes the US Congress’ approval of a draft resolution that lays down a US strategy to confront the Assad regime’s drug production and trafficking and dismantle networks it runs in the areas under its control. The SOC positively views the move and its possible impact on the Assad regime.
In the past several years, the Assad regime has relied on illicit drug trade to generate billions of dollars in revenues, thus dodging the economic sanctions imposed on and feeding the military machine with which it is killing the Syrian people. We stress the need to deprive the Assad regime of all financial resources so as to achieve the desired impact from sanctions.
There is no denying the fact that the Assad regime is illegal and does not represent the Syrian people. It relies on killings, terrorism and illicit drug trade, and cooperates with repressive regimes and sectarian militias to kill Syrian civilians and destroy their cities. Therefore, there is no way to rehabilitate, maintain, or normalize relations with this regime or seek rapprochement with it in any way and under any circumstances or pretexts. Providing any form of support for this regime means acceptance of its crimes and contribution to the deepening of the tragedy in Syria.
The SOC stresses the need step up international efforts to get rid of the Assad regime, hold it accountable for the thousands of crimes it has committed with its allies since 2011, and confront its global threat represented by Captagon production in its areas and spreading it to the world.