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Senior Rebel Commander: We Need Moderates

Abdulrazzaq Aslan al-Laz says reliable figures have been marginalized
Senior Rebel Commander: We Need Moderates

A Syrian dissident brigadier said that the time has come for "the formation of a unified military and political leadership for the forces of the revolution", stressing the need to hear what he described as "the voice of moderation".

 

Abdulrazzaq Aslan al-Laz, the former brigadier in the Syrian Interior Ministry, pointed out the presence of high-ranking dissident officers that could represent this leadership. 

 

He also underestimated the feasibility of the airstrikes launched by the international alliance on Syria, saying "it seems to us that the strikes are not serious, and the timing of the operations is suitable for the extermination of the unarmed people, the children, the elderly and women. At the same time regime barrels still fall on civilians. We think that the strikes of the alliance must be accompanied by no-fly zone to stop Assad's barrels," he told Italian AKI news agency. 


 

Laz also questioned the importance of the American project of training and arming the Syrian opposition.

 

"The United States and its allies apply a policy of double standards and they deceive Syrians. The declaration of the American intention of training and arming fighters comes in the same context; the training of 5,000 or 10,000 fighters is useless, and we cannot take advantage of these fighters, especially as we do not know who we will fight, the regime or the militias or the extremist parties and organizations." Laz said.


 

He stressed the need to form a "moderate and unified military and political leadership", pointing out that many Syrian can represent this leadership.

 

"There must be a unified leadership for the forces of the revolution militarily, intellectually and politically. It is time to hear the voice of moderation established on people's interests. There are many military men and politicians in Syria that can be relied upon in this matter, but they are marginalized," Laz added. 


 

On the other hand, he criticized the current political and military opposition, and stressed the need to accelerate the creation of an alternative.

 

"The dissolution of the Interim Government and the Supreme Military Council, the assassinations of the military commanders, the corrupt figures in the Syrian Coalition, all these things harmed the revolution and ruined the reputation of the internationally-recognized opposition, it actually led to the success of the regime."

 

We must now accelerate the formation of a new moderate military and political leadership, a leadership known for its experience in the military and organizational affairs, whether inside or outside Syria."

 

Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer 

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