The head of the Syrian National Coalition, Salem al-Meslet, has sparked a storm of protest among Syrians opposed to Bashar al-Assad’s government in northern Syria and exile.
Meslet said the anti-Turkish demonstrations that took place two weeks ago were the work of instigators.
This came during an interview with the newspaper Yeni Safak, in order to highlight the tensions that occurred in northern Syria after the distortion of the speech of Turkish Foreign Minister Cavusoglu, and regarding the aspirations of the Syrian opposition to find a political solution in Syria.
“What happened bothered us as Syrians because we appreciate Turkey’s position in support of us, and we are grateful for that,” he said.
In this context, Meslet explained that the opposition forces are committed to calling for a political solution in accordance with the resolution adopted by the United Nations Security Council in 2015.
Read Also: Recap: More on Potential Turkey-Syria Rapprochement
Large demonstrations had swept through northern Syria to protest the Turkish minister’s statements and the change in Turkish policy towards the Assad regime in Damascus.
Meslet’s comments sparked a storm of criticism on social media. Journalist Aqeel Hussein said:
From today onwards, you will not hear a single opposition official calling for the departure of Bashar al-Assad.
Meslet’s statements today are not the first and will not be the last.
This is what Turkish policy requires!
In its interview with Yeni Safak, the media department of the Syrian National Coalition said in press explanations that Salem al-Meslet confirmed that the statements made in his name in the Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak are inaccurate, as parts of them were misrepresented in a way that changed their meaning.
Meslet denied what was attributed to him about the recent popular demonstrations as the work of instigators.
“Our position on the protests was clear from the beginning, as the coalition stressed that the continuation of the peaceful demonstration is proof that the revolution is burning in the hearts of the revolutionaries,” he added.
He continued: “The demands of the coalition and the Syrians are to push the political process forward, implement international resolution 2254, prosecute the Assad regime for its crimes against Syrians, and any demand adopted by the free Syrian people is a demand of the National Coalition.” He pointed out that “the National Coalition is part of the revolution of Syrians and its mission is the political representation of this great nation. It is not possible in any way to deviate from the principles of the revolution; People sacrificed about a million martyrs and millions of detainees and displaced persons in this revolution.”
On Sunday, fabricated news circulated about Meslet’s return to Syria. However, he denied the news in a recorded video.
