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ISTANBUL – Syrian activists on Monday announced a new rebel coalition thataims to overcome deep divisions within the opposition in its fightagainst the forces of President Bashar Assad. The group, the Syrian Rebels Front, declared its formation in anews conference in Turkey that had the hallmarks of a publicrelations event, including a banner, video presentations and asimultaneous translation service. But it was uncertain how the neworganization would coordinate with other sectors of the Syrianopposition, whose failure to unite has hobbled its campaign totopple Assad despite a nationwide uprising that has lasted morethan one year. Khaled al-Okla, one of the organizers, said the fledgling groupwill coordinate with the Free Syrian Army, a loose coalition ofrebel units whose nominal leaders are based on the Turkish side ofthe border with Syria. Members of the Free Syrian Army acknowledgeits commanders have limited or no operational control over rebelunits inside Syria, but they say the label has given a public faceto the lightly armed factions, who are under heavy pressure fromgovernment forces with tanks and artillery. "We might have some treaties or agreements to coordinate our workin Syria," said al-Okla, who claimed his umbrella group has 12,000fighters. He also read a statement that said the Syrian RebelsFront had been formed in light of Assad's "scorched earth policy"as well as "the failure of all Arab and international initiativesto rein in Assad from his crimes," suggesting the rebels weregiving up on a peace plan proposed by U.N. envoy Kofi Annan. The15-month-old revolt against Assad's rule has killed up to 13,000people, according to activist groups. The Syrian rebel statement said the launching of the new frontcould serve "as the melting pot that brings together all armedrebel factions across Syrian territory as they seek to topple thecriminal regime." However, some in the audience, which included journalists, wereskeptical. One person took a microphone and asked: "Why do we needa new front? There are already a lot of fronts." The rebel statement cited the killings of more than 100 people,many of them small children, in Houla last week as the height ofthe Syrian regime's cruelty. The opposition and the government haveexchanged accusations over the Houla killings, each blaming theother for the house-to-house killings. U.N. investigators have saidthere are strong suspicions that pro-regime gunmen are responsiblefor at least some of the killings. In a speech on Sunday, Assad defended his government's crackdown onopponents and insisted the revolt was the work of foreign-backedextremists, not reformers seeking change. The announcement of the new rebel front was accompanied by a videopresentation claiming the front has 100 "battalions or fightingformations," and it featured clips of masked fighters declaringtheir allegiance to the new entity. While some Gulf countriessupport the idea of arming rebels, Western and Arab allies havebeen reluctant to supply anti-regime fighters, partly because oftheir lack of cohesion, and also for fear of igniting a broader andmore intense conflict. Turkey has said it is not providing military aid to Syrian rebels,but it allows opposition groups to organize on its soil and alsogives medical and other humanitarian aid to thousands of Syrianrefugees, as well as hundreds of army defectors, who have fledtheir country. Turkey has said it would consider establishing abuffer zone inside Syria if border security deteriorates, thoughsuch an outcome does not appear imminent. Also Monday, a Washington-based refugee advocacy group called onthe world to help Syrians who have fled their country's turmoil,saying they are stretching the meager resources of Jordan andLebanon. Since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011, Jordan hastaken in more than 110,000 refugees, and Lebanon 26,000, accordingto official figures. In Jordan, many refugees are being hosted inprivate homes, with Jordanian families providing them food andshelter. Refugees International warned in a written statement that theSyrian refugee crisis "may threaten the political stability of bothLebanon and Jordan, and the international community must scale uphumanitarian and development aid to keep both countries on a firmfooting.". We are high quality suppliers, our products such as China Body Shaping Machine , Multifunction Beauty Equipment Manufacturer for oversee buyer. To know more, please visits IPL Hair Removal Machine.
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