Syria: A Priority for New Opposition Group. (New York) – Syria’s newly created opposition front should send a clear message to opposition fighters that they must adhere to the laws of war and human rights law, and that violators will be held accountable. Countries financing or supplying arms to opposition groups should send a strong signal to the opposition that they expect it to comply strictly with international human rights and humanitarian law.
Syrian opposition factions signed an agreement in Qatar on November 11, 2012, to create a new umbrella grouping, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (the National Coalition). The unity accord states that the National Coalition “supports the unification of the revolutionary military councils under the leadership of a supreme military council,” will establish a “national judicial commission,” and will “form a provincial government after gaining international recognition.” The accord will come into force once it has been ratified by its members. In Syria, group suspected of al-Qaeda links gaining prominence in war to topple Assad. The group, suspected of affiliations to al-Qaeda, says it is also fighting in other locations, including the cities of Homs and Idlib and the suburbs of the capital, Damascus.
Its growing role has prompted concerns that the 17-month-old uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is becoming radicalized as the bloodshed soars. On a recent morning, three jihadist fighters chambered rounds into their AK-47 rifles as their bearded driver sped through Aleppo’s streets in a bullet-ridden white van. “If shooting starts, put your head down,” one of the jihadists said as the van headed toward the flashpoint Salahuddin neighborhood, blending in with the battle-scarred vehicles of other fighters hurtling through the streets.
Jabhat al-Nusra’s growing visibility on the streets of Syrian cities highlights one of the reasons the United States and its allies have been reluctant to arm Syrian rebels even as Obama administration officials repeatedly insist that Assad must go. Research to be done: Arab Spring. The protests have shared some techniques of civil resistance in sustained campaigns involving strikes, demonstrations, marches, and rallies, as well as the effective use of social media[20][21] to organize, communicate, and raise awareness in the face of state attempts at repression and Internet censorship.[22][23] Many Arab Spring demonstrations have been met with violent responses from authorities,[24][25][26] as well as from pro-government militias and counter-demonstrators. These attacks have been answered with violence from protestors in some cases.[27][28][29] A major slogan of the demonstrators in the Arab world has been Ash-sha`b yurid isqat an-nizam ("the people want to bring down the regime").[30] Etymology[edit] The term "Arab Spring" is an allusion to the Revolutions of 1848, which is sometimes referred to as "Springtime of the People", and the Prague Spring in 1968.
Background[edit] Causes[edit] Recent history[edit] Overview[edit] Summary of conflicts by country[edit] Free Syrian Army. Riad al-Asaad stated in October 2011 that the Free Syrian Army (FSA) has no political goals except the removal of Bashar Assad as president of Syria.[20][21] The FSA has also claimed that the conflict is not sectarian, that they have in their ranks Alawis who oppose the government, and that there will be no reprisals if it falls.[22] On 23 September 2011, the Free Syrian Army merged with the Free Officers Movement (Arabic: حركة الضباط الأحرار, Ḥarakat aḑ-Ḑubbāṭ al-Aḥrār) and became the main opposition army group.[8][23][24] By July 2012, there were over 100,000 defectors from the armed forces reported, according to activist and media sources.[25] About a year prior, American intelligence sources gave estimates of more than 10,000 defectors.[26][27] The actual number of soldiers defecting to the Free Syrian Army is unknown.[28][29] The FSA operates throughout Syria, both in urban areas and in the countryside.
History[edit] Origin[edit] Formation[edit] Expansion[edit] Reorganisation[edit]