Press Releases

Cairo, Egypt, March 4, 2013 – Today Ruqa province announces its independence, conveying to all Syrian cities under Assad tyranny that having faith will certainly lead to the road of freedom. Just last year Assad performed Eid prayers in Ruqa in an attempt to lower Syrian morale and hope; today, despite Assad's efforts and tyranny, Syrian rebel forces have prevailed. The province of Ruqa has witnessed complete control of the area by the Ahrar Alsham and Jubhat Alnusra Battalions. The battalions took control of the city center "President's Circle;" which is surrounded by several security and intelligence branches and is considered to be a strategic location that operates many security and intelligence offices. The rebel fighters and civilians of the area succeeded to topple the largest statue of the dictator Hafez Assad that was located at a strategic military and security branch for the regime and key point for the Baath party. The rebels took over the branch, as well as the Passport and Immigration offices and "Hagana" Camp. Additionally, after clashes between the rebels and Assad forces, the rebels managed to take control of the Aerial Intelligence Branch within the city and the Battalions announced the capture of Brigadier...

Cairo, Egypt, March 3, 2013 - The Assad regime has launched a massive military campaign in the cities of Homs, Jebl Turkman off of the Syrian Coast, and the city of Dariyah in Damascus, in what seems to be an attempt to regain control of those areas and to put pressure on the international supporters of the revolution and push the Syrian people to despair and abandonment of the revolution.   This move comes after an interview with the Bashaar al Assad aired in which he stated that the killing of innocent civilians will not stop until the Free Syrian Army withdraws from the liberated towns and villages. The Free Syrian army has made recent advances in many areas across Syria such as the border crossing of Eiribiyah, Ruqa central prison, Aleppo Police Academy, and many other locations.   The National Syrian Coalition for Revolutionary Forces and Opposition calls on the international community as well as human rights institutions and organizations to pay heed to the consequences of leaving these military campaigns continue without taking action to stop them by putting pressure on the regime and its allies. The Coalition urges action especially after many calls by the international community...

Egypt, Cairo - 18 Feb. 2013 There have been many documented instances of Iranian backed Hizbullah forces committing crimes, murder, and violation of personal property against innocent Syrian civilians. Hizbullah has supported the Assad regime from the beginning of the revolution in its so-called opposition to “foreign conspiracies” which has only led to destruction and terror of innocent Syrians. The most recent took place in the al-Qaseer region, near Homs. By calling for the formation of forces that specialize in urban warfare as a way to support the Assad regime, the Iranian leadership is now issuing statements that are not only a gross interference in the affairs of the Syrian people but could be understood as a declaration of war against Syrians. Iran’s intervention through Hizbullah is an unjustifiable and undeniable violation of international law as well as national sovereignty. The National Coalition of Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces strongly condemns these repeated violations by Hizbullah. These actions that echo Iranian statements are reminiscent of colonialism and demonstrate the desperation of the Iranian regime clearly illustrating the regime’s inability to balance immediate interests against ideological posturing. It is important to note that any progress on a political solution is dependent...

Cairo, Egypt. February 15, 2013:The Interim Political Advisory Committee of the Syrian Coalition establishes a framework for any political  solution.  The Interim Advisory Political Committee of the Syrian Coalition held its regular meeting to discuss the latest political and field developments. Members of the committee examined the domestic, regional and international  developments that relate to the Syrian revolution. As the Syrian Coalition is keen on elevating the suffering of the Syrian people,  the protection of Syria's national unity, saving Syria from the crimes committed by Assad's regime, and preventing foreign interference, the committee developed the following framework for any political solution: 1.  Achieving the objectives of the revolution in achieving justice, freedom, and dignity, as well as sparing the country from any further devastation and preserving the unity of Syria in order to achieve a transition to a civil and democratic system that ensures equal rights for all Syrians. 2. Bashar Assad and security leadership who are responsible for the current destruction of the country are outside the political process and must be held accountable for their crimes. 3. All Syrians will be part of any future political solution, including those currently serving with the state institutions, Baathists, political, civil and social forces as long as they...

It is with deep grief and sorrow; the Coalition received the news of another explosion that killed dozens of people in the city of Salamiyah. This is another heinous crime that has the fingerprints of the Syrian regime, which continues to try to create a rift between the people of one homeland. The National Coalition condemns any indiscriminate bombings targeting civilians, wherever they are, and causing loss of life and destruction in our cities and towns. This is a dirty game that has been mastered by the regime and displayed by its crime-tainted history, both inside and outside Syria, which has created an endless list of victims and martyrs everywhere. We extend our sincere condolences to the mourning families in Salamiyah and all across Syria. Every precious drop of Syrian blood is a huge loss to us and to the homeland and its people. It is the price paid for freedom and the result of a strategy by a criminal regime that is trying to push the homeland into dark tunnels to hold on power in any form.

The regime continues to seek opportunities to delegitimize the revolution and create a rift among Syrians. The regime will try to distract from its murderous onslaught by attempting to demonize the Syrian Revolution and creating divisions amongst the diverse religious and ethnic groups. However, Syrians have insisted on national unity, thwarting the regimes efforts and rejecting any rift or divisions. We are saddened by the events that have transpired in the city of Ras Al-Ain ,and we have been working tirelessly to suppress and avoid conflicts there. We remind everyone that, whoever collaborates with the regime and helps to murder our people, will be held accountable for all his/her actions. Our moral, social and religious principles reject these actions. The coalition has formed a committee to communicate with all leaders and revolutionary forces in the area to avoid further conflict and putting a stop to the regime's effort to cause a rift. This committee will work to create guidelines to avoid any possible future conflicts in the region, and achieve peaceful co-existence for all the ethnic and religious groups in the region based on the framework of brotherhood, citizenship, and shared history. We urge the Syrian people to unite and...

The monthly meeting of the national coalition for the revolutionary forces and the Syrian opposition was held in Istanbul and was attended by more than 60 members. The meeting lasted for two days during which members discussed the latest developments inside Syria in addition to political developments on the Arab, regional and international levels. The Members heard the latest reports and developments of military confrontations with Assad regime forces.  General Salim Idris, Chief of General Staff of free Syrian army, gave detailed presentation of the situation across Syria and answered questions regarding developments on the ground in many areas, most importantly in Ras Al-Ain, Homs, Darya and Deir al-Zour.   Plans and performance from different coalition offices were presented and discussed. Heads of media office, local councils support office, and humanitarian support office answered questions from members of the coalition and discussed action plans to improve the performance of these offices.   The participants decided to form a committee to move diplomatically and pressure the United Nations to stop delivery of any aid, approved under a plan to respond to Syria humanitarian needs last month, to the official Syrian institutions. Another committee was formed to resolve the crisis between Syrian...

Representatives of the Syrian Coalition (SC) took part in a conference hosted by the British Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 9th and 10th of January, 2013 in Wilton Park, United Kingdom. The SC presented a draft vision for a transitional period based on a controlled gradual transition of power, ensuring that governmental institutions continue working in full function, troops withdrawal to their bases, collection of weapons from civilians, and mobilizing national efforts towards rebuilding Syria. The SC emphasized that the draft plan’s main goal is realizing the demands and objectives of the revolution, achieving the transition process with minimum human and material losses, and maintaining the state’s institutions in cooperation with defectors from the current regime. The SC presented specific demands to the international community for the current period and the transitional period after the fall of the regime; the demands were in the political, economic, military, and technological areas. The SC delegates also affirmed that a political solution must be in accordance with the ongoing military operations on the ground, and requested that the International Community fulfills its promises in Marrakech conference to the SC through its “Support” and “Local Councils” Units. The current efforts of the SC...

The Syrian Coalition (SC) appreciates all efforts to provide aid and assistance to the needy of the Syrian people, especially in the difficult times they are experiencing for nearly two years now. The decision to allocate the amount of $ 519 million for Syrians inside Syria, as part of the Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan launched by the United Nations on 19 December 2012, is one the most important of those efforts; however, the coalition expresses its deep concern about the management of this aid, or whether it reaches the real needy inside Syria. The plan* states that it aims at "supporting the Government of Syria’s efforts in providing humanitarian assistance to the affected populations," and that a “Steering Committee” will be “chaired by the Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates (or whomever he delegates)" and that “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates is the Government focal point in charge of the supervision of implementation of humanitarian projects" in addition to other administrative and logistical tasks! The SC sees a clear contradiction in dealing with the Syrian regime as a legitimate government doing its job like any other government, at the same time that the United Nations and its...

The speech by Bashar Assad confirms his incompetence as a head of state who realizes the grave responsibilities he carries during this critical time in Syria’s history. Furthermore, it demonstrates that he is incapable of initiating a political solution that puts forward a resolution for the country’s struggle and an exit for his regime with minimum losses because he cannot see himself and his narrow based rule except as remaining in power despite being rejected by his people and his traditional allies.   Assad repeated the talk about a national unity government, a national dialogue, and a new constitution – which is an acknowledgement of the failure and illegitimacy of the constitution that was passed and prepared under the supervision of his regime- at the same time as his militias commit massacres against the residents across Syria.   The Syrian Coalition believes the speech of Bashar Assad was a pre-emptive strike against both Arab and international diplomatic solutions equally. Meanwhile, the Coalition reaffirms its commitment to any solution that stops bloodshed and ensures the fulfillment of fundamental principles that have been agreed upon by most revolutionary and opposition forces, most important of which is the removal of Assad and the...

On 29 December 2012, Assad’s forces and shabiha (pro-Assad militia) perpetrated a new cold-blooded massacre in Homs, particularly in the regions of Old Town and Deir Baalbeh, leaving 220 people killed--including men, women, and children. The Syrian army carried out an extensive military assault several days ago using all kinds of weapons and air forces in order to strike the brigades of the Free Syrian army, that had been trying to free civilians trapped in the region for months. After fierce resistance, rebels were forced to withdraw from the region of Deir Baalbeh. Soon after the withdrawal, pro-Assad militia and shabiha, mostly from the regions of Abbasiya and Zuhoor, took revenge on 40 families, who had not been able to flee. This recent massacre is yet another living example which reflects the regime's real intention to suppress the will of the Syrian people. This shameless act refutes the claims recently put in the media suggesting that Assad's regime is genuinely open for talks leading to a political solution. These claims are merely a mischievous attempt to allow Assad's regime more time to suppress the revolution. The National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces reiterate its firm stand with the...

The National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces welcomes the formation of the Free National Union of Syrian State Employees, announced in Amman, Jordan on the 15th of December 2012, in order to organize the efforts of political defectors. It is worthy to note that political defectors are represented in the Coalition by Mr. Abdo Husam Eddin. Organizing the efforts and work of Syrian political defectors in an effective institutional framework sends an important message in this vital stage of the Syrian revolution. This provides an opportunity to capitalize on the experiences of these individuals and allow them to better contribute to building a new Syria and preserve local and civil state institutions. The Syrian Coalition sends a clear message to all public officials in the Syrian government asking them to defect and join the recently established Union. Such initiatives primarily aim to channel the efforts and create an institutional mechanism in all fields based on levels of contribution in the revolution. These efforts also allow for a complete synchronization and unification of the various specialized groups to work within the Coalition in an attempt to assert the true representation of all Syrian revolutionary forces and direct their efforts...