Brigadier General Selim Idriss, the Chairman of the rebels Joint Chiefs of Staff and Commander of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) of the Free Syrian Army (FSA), is widely considered a moderate figure within the Syria's armed opposition with credibility among rebel battalions.
Since his defection from the Syrian army in July 2012 and his taking the helm of the FSA in December, 2012, Idriss has become increasingly involved in lobbying for aid from Western nations.
His initial aid request was for specialized training and non-lethal material support from the United States in February 2013.
The East German-trained electronics professor has addressed the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, President Barack Obama, and the United Nations Security Council to encourage international intervention and support for the rebels in the ongoing Syrian civil war.
In his interview with the New York Times in July, Idriss outlined that continued international support for the Free Syrian Army, including "game-changing weapons", were a precondition for his attendance at proposed negotiations with Bashar Assad in Geneva.
On Wednesday, Idriss announced his rejection to the Russian initiative that would see the Syrian regime place chemical weapon under international custody, saying he considered it a "lie".
Idriss confirmed that his fighters have not received any weapons from America and that all they have received has been humanitarian aid in the form of food and medical materials as well as some flak jackets, light vehicles and communications equipment.
Translated and edited by the Syrian Observer
......
