You have commented 338 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Syria-Lebanon-Iran
Syrian Rebel Chiefs Form Military Council to Unify Ranks
2012-03-25
[An Nahar] The head of the rebel Free Syrian Army, Riad al-Asaad, announced Saturday the formation of a military council grouping all rebel chiefs, including Syria's most senior army deserter General Mustafa al-Sheikh.

The council "is a step towards guaranteeing the unity of the troops and armed forces (of the opposition) on Syrian territory," Colonel Asaad told Agence La Belle France Presse by telephone from Turkey.

Asaad stressed that the new council "declines responsibility for any action taken by other organizations" and called on all armed forces in Syria to join the new military body.

"Today a pact was signed in Turkey... officially announcing that the Higher Military Council (of General Al-Sheikh) is merging with the Free Syrian Army of Riad Asaad," a FSA statement said.

"General Mustafa al-Sheikh has been appointed as the chairman of the council," the statement added.

According to a a lieutenant from Al-Sheikh's group, Asaad will be in charge of military operations.

"He will control all brigades and all (local) military councils (across Syria) must place themselves under his jurisdiction," Lieutenant Khaled Ali told AFP in Beirut.

General Al-Sheikh and 10 other generals will be tasked with deciding the military strategy of the Free Syrian Army, and will be in charge of weapons and funds, he added.

The announcement comes ahead of a two-day meeting in Istanbul, starting on Monday, of Syrian opposition groups seeking to hammer out common objectives in the face of the deadly crackdown on dissent that began in March last year.
Posted by:Fred

00:00